The Onoka Legacy
by Khaliban
Summary: A consolidation of the disparate storylines to construct a cohesive narative, as well as a reimagining of some game elements to match my personal interpretation of Star Wars canon. Expect the occasional spoiler or divergence from the game.
1. The Assassin

The Twi'lek assassin left the Korriban Academy an hour before dawn, her passing detected by only the strongest Sith instructors. She pulled her low light goggles over her eyes and ran to the base of the ridge that circled the Valley of Tombs. In jumps of three or four meters, she scaled the ridge and reached the top just as the sky turned gray. She ran along the ridge with practiced silence, leaving no tracks, not even a wisp of dust, to prove she'd been there. She stopped across from the tomb of Naga Sadow and searched for a point that gave her a clear view of the path from the tomb to the gates of the Academy. The acolyte assassin laid down, pushed the goggles up, and took macrobinoculars from her belt. She rested the binoculars on a convenient stone and waited for her target.

She had watched the other acolyte for five years, in visions or from the shadows, but had never risked such a close approach. He might sense her at this distance, especially if she focused on him, but she couldn't help it. For five years, her visions of him were the same, darkness and death and war. For five years, his future remained a rigid, blood-soaked path. But that had changed. A new path had appeared the night before, it's future gray with occasional hints of warmth. The original path remained a possibility, but the new path demanded a response, even one as dangerous as this.

The acolyte focused the binoculars on the gates of the Academy and hunted for her target. She sensed him before he appeared. The sky was bright with the new day, but the Academy gates were still in shadow when the dark blue Twi'lek warrior emerged. He'd grown since she'd seen him last, and was probably as tall as his brother. Half a galaxy away, and they still competed. The hard muscles beneath his shirt showed he trained as much as ever. And, he hadn't removed the scar; a long, deep cut down his right eye from forehead to cheek that somehow avoided damaging the eye itself. She expected arrogance in his eyes, confidence at the least, but found irritation almost to the point of rage.

Another Twi'lek walked at his side, a girl dressed as a slave. She wore a shock collar on her neck and handcuffs, as if the collar weren't enough. She was pretty, but she tried to hide it. She might be beautiful with the right clothes and some meat on her bones. Slaves were usually better fed than that, suggesting she was a former slave recaptured. She spoke to the warrior as she walked, and, with every word, his irritation deepened.

The assassin zoomed in on the face of the girl. One of the Sith instructors had told the assassin to cultivate mundane skills. People expected force sensitives to use the Force for everything. If they were right, the advantage was theirs. If they were wrong, the advantage was yours. Knowledge was power. To that end, the assassin had learned lip-reading.

"—a scarf?" the slave said.

"A what?" the warrior replied. His lekku twitched. A line of spots, like the scales of a serpent, ran down each tail from base to tip, and their movements mimicked a wary snake.

"A scarf," she said. "So my lekku won't burn. Or lotion, if you have any."

"No." He closed his eyes and took a breath. "We won't be outside very long, and you're dark skinned. You don't burn easily anyway."

The girl looked around and saw a group of k'lor'slugs squirming over a fresh kill.

"Are those things in there?" she asked.

"I thought you were in the tomb already," the warrior said.

"I was caught at the entrance," the girl replied.

"No, they're not in the tomb." he said. "The walls are shielded."

"Does that mean it's safe?"

He shook his head. "Failed acolytes hide in there."

"Why?"

"It's safe from the k'lor'slugs."

"Why not go back to the Academy?" she asked.

"They'd be killed," he said.

She stopped and stared at him. "You people are nasty."

He closed his eyes again and took a breath. "We don't want weak Sith Lords."

"Do they just live there?"

"No," he said. "They can be reinstated if they kill a current acolyte."

"Like you?"

"Yes."

"What about me?" she asked.

"They'll kill you too, just in case."

"Oh." She looked down at the k'lor'slugs again. "Could I get my guns back?"

 _What?_ the assassin thought.

The warrior spun toward her and started yelling. He faced away from the assassin, but she could guess his words. She expected the slave to shrink away. The warrior was nearly a head taller and probably weighed twice as much, but the girl stood firm and glared at him.

When his tirade ended, she yelled, "I'm the only one that can get you into that tomb! You don't just flip a switch! It's four combinations, and you turn them blind! If you get any of them wrong, they cut your hand off! If you want that artifact, you need to find some way to keep me alive, or give me back my guns!"

" _I_ will keep you alive," he said. The assassin could only see half his face, but he spoke the words slowly enough.

The slave sneered like she didn't believe him and looked away.

He nodded at the k'lor'slugs. "I've killed a group of six of those by myself."

"The larvae or the big ones?" the girl asked.

"The big ones."

"Oh," she said. "The acolytes in the tomb can't do that?"

He took another breath. "They're failed for a reason."

"Fine," she said. "I think it'd be better if I had my guns, but fine."

"You're a prisoner!" he yelled. "You don't get guns!" He panted at her through gritted teeth.

"Do it!" she said.

"Do what?"

"Shock me!"

"What?"

"Shock me! That's what you Sith do!"

"I can't," he said. "I didn't bring the controller."

"You forgot it?" she said with a laugh.

"I _chose_ not to bring it," he said. "I don't hurt women that way."

"How do you hurt women?" she asked.

He grabbed her arm suddenly, and she gasped in shock. He looked at his hand, let go, and stepped away.

"I'm sorry," he said. "Did I hurt you?"

"No." She watched him cautiously. "Sorry I said that."

He nodded and said, "Let's go."

When he turned away, the slave looked at his back.

Was she checking out his ass? the assassin thought. No, she was looking at his food pack.

Sure enough, the girl said, "Could I get something to eat?"

The warrior turned toward her, facing away from the assassin again.

"They didn't feed me very much," the girl said.

The warrior stepped back and looked her up and down.

She scowled at him and said, "What was that?!"

He responded and the girl said, "That was not 'verifying my claim'!"

The assassin turned away and laughed. She forced down the laughter and refocused the binoculars.

"Don't worry," the warrior said, turning back to the path. "I don't want to cut myself."

The girl glared at him again. "Does that mean I'm right?"

He sighed and gave her his canteen and two food sticks.

"Eat slowly," he said. "Maybe it will shut you up."

"Thank you," she said, obviously trying not to sneer. She nibbled on one of the food sticks as they walked. She looked at the handcuffs, and said, "Could I get these off?"

The warrior turned and stared at her.

"I need them off to open the tomb," she said.

"We're not there yet."

She scowled again and returned to the food sticks.

When they reached the tomb, he told her to wait while he checked the entrance. "And, remember," he said. "That collar has a tracker on it."

"I know," she said.

Once he was out of sight, she shoved the rest of the food stick in her mouth, chewed fast and washed it down. She bit off half of the second food stick and was still chewing ravenously when he returned. She paused, swallowed slowly and started nibbling again. The warrior sighed, said something the assassin missed, and motioned toward himself. The girl held out her hands, and he removed the handcuffs and gave her his remaining food sticks.

"Don't eat so fast you'll choke," he said. He motioned toward a boulder, and she sat down.

After the third food stick, she looked at the tomb and said, "You're going to kill me in there, aren't you? That's what you do, right?"

"No," he said. "I don't punish good behavior."

"I thought you were Sith."

"There's more than one kind of Sith." He watched her eat. "If you do a good job, I'll buy you dinner. Something really good."

She narrowed her eyes at him.

"I'm serious," he said.

She shrugged. "It's not like it matters. The Empire will kill me for what I did."

"Why did you do it?" he asked. "I'm sure you could find easier targets on Nar-Shaddaa."

"Reputation," she said. "I'm one of the best thieves you'll meet. I mean that. But, people on Nar-Shaddaa see a Twi'lek girl. Former slave. Should be a slave. Whatever. Stealing an artifact from Korriban would make my reputation. I could maybe sign on with a smuggler. One of the good ones. There are decent smugglers, you know."

He hid a smile from her and said, "I know."

"It's a chance to see the galaxy, and get enough money to... do stuff."

"What kind of stuff?" he asked.

She looked away.

"Personal stuff," he said. "I get it." He watched her a little longer. "How did you do it?"

She looked at him, considering her answer, and seemed to realize it didn't matter anymore. "I dressed like a slave. That was easy to do," she said. "I found a guy selling an Imperial toolbox. On Nar-Shaddaa, you don't ask how they got it. I sliced past the security at an Imperial base. Once I was inside, I was another slave. If anyone asked, I told them I had to pull something dead out of an engine. I found a shuttle headed here, and snuck into the storage bay."

"No one noticed?" he asked.

"I told you. I'm good. I sliced the scanners to play on a loop and settled in."

"What was the toolbox for?"

"My guns," she said. "Armor. Zero waste food packs. Urine recyc." She made a sour face. "And here, I was a slave again. I made it that far." She pointed at the ground in front of the entrance.

"That was your mistake," he said. "Slaves don't go into a tomb alone. You should have dressed like an acolyte."

"Different rules," she said with a shrug.

"Impressive," he said. "But, you're right, they would kill you for that. It begs the question, why _are_ you helping me?"

"I went through a lot stealing that map," she said. "And spent two months learning those combinations. I want to see what's inside that tomb. I want to see the artifact before I die."

He considered her, and his eyes softened. "It's the lightsaber of Naga Sadow, one of the most powerful Sith Lords ever," he told her. "Valuable to a Sith Lord or a collector. Not something you could sell easily."

"No," she said. "But think of the reputation."

"Very true," he said. He turned away, obviously thinking. "I won't let them kill you."

She looked up. "How are you going to do that?"

"I'll tell Baras you're useful to me."

She looked at him sideways. "What does that mean?"

He watched her for a moment. "It means, do a good job."

She thought about it. "You could be lying."

"Possible lie or definite demise. Which do you pick?"

She bit into the last food stick. "I hope the dinner's not a lie."

He turned away from her and scanned the valley as if looking for something. The girl looked him up and down and returned to her food.

The assassin smiled. _That_ was checking out his ass.

"We're being watched," he said without turning.

"We are?" she said.

"I might have noticed earlier, if I hadn't been distracted."

She rolled her eyes. "Do you know who it is?"

"Probably an ally of Vemrin's. He's another acolyte. He thinks he's my rival." He continued to scan the valley.

"They're probably on that ridge," she said. "It'd give you the best view."

He looked at her, and she pointed to the ridge where the assassin laid. He examined the ridge and nodded.

The assassin smiled again. I like this girl.

The warrior said, "Tell me about the locks."

"Four combination locks," the girl said. "They're hidden behind statues or pedestals, recessed into the stone. They have photo receptors, so you can't use a light or a camera."

"Was that part about the blade true?"

"Yes," she said. "That's why I spent two months practicing." She finished the last food stick. "I need to do them in a specific order, and they're on a timer. I have thirty minutes from the time the first combination is done to finish all four and open the door to the tomb. Otherwise, the system resets, and we wait half an hour to start again."

He smiled. "And, you thought I was mean."

"Do all Sith go through this for a lightsaber?"

"No," he said. "We build our lightsabers. This is my last trial before becoming an apprentice. It will prove my worth, and Baras can say he has the strongest apprentice."

"In other words, reputation."

He smiled again. "Yes. Reputation."

She stood up and brushed away some crumbs.

"Do I get a cut?" she asked.

He stared at her for a while.

"How do you go from 'happy to be alive' to 'getting a cut'?"

She shrugged. "I was just asking."

"You're getting dinner instead of execution. Appreciate it."

She shrugged again. He motioned toward the tomb. When she walked past, he held back, checked out her ass, and followed her in.

The assassin turned away and laughed, as if she might be caught. Something had definitely changed. She stood and stretched and thought, You may have just met your match.


	2. The Warrior

Not a bad ass, Mau'te thought as he caught up to her. Too skinny, but she had potential. No, what was he thinking? Baras expected him to kill her. The Imperial officers expected it. Why did he promise to keep her alive? That was stupid.

Mau'te sensed someone approach. He shoved the girl into the shadows with him. Another acolyte passed on his way out of the tomb. Not failed, so not a threat. He turned to the girl. Vette was it? Not a Twi'lek name, but this girl had layers of history. She glared at him, then at his arm across her chest, then at him again. He rolled his eyes and pulled his arm away.

They moved slowly while their eyes adjusted to the luminescent crystals embedded in the walls. He turned toward her to tell her to keep moving, because he couldn't hear her footsteps. But, she was moving, in complete silence, in a stone tomb that seemed to amplify every echo. Not bad. Not a bad profile either. You know what they say about girls with mottled lekku. No. Stop it. She had to die.

Vette stopped suddenly and put her hand on Mau'te's chest. She looked around, getting her bearings, and pointed down a passageway. He looked at her hand on his chest then at her. She yanked her hand away as if he'd burned her. He held in the laugh but couldn't hide his smile. She scowled at him and pointed down the passage again.

They continued like that, pausing at an intersection while Vette oriented herself or backing into the shadows to let a failed acolyte pass. On some of the more persistent acolytes, Mau'te used a mind trick to confuse them or push them along. At last, Vette stopped at one of the many statues scattered through the tomb. She knelt down, took a few breaths, pushed her hand behind the statue and pulled it back immediately. She took another breath, swallowed hard, and moved her hand toward the statue again.

This would never do, Mau'te thought.

He touched Vette's shoulder, and she looked up at him. Her anxiety filled her eyes and flowed to him through his touch. He didn't say anything, but looked within himself instead. He found a moment when his training and practice, thought and action coalesced. He found the sensation where adrenaline elevated and focused but before it surrendered to recklessness. He passed the sensation to Vette, helping her find a similar moment in her own memory. Her anxiety faded, and her eyes focused. She nodded to Mau'te, and he took his hand away. Vette pushed her hand behind the statue, seemed to feel around for her target, and began.

Mau'te's own anxiety rose at the first click and each click after. They soon came so fast, it sounded like typing. Vette's eyes stared at nothing while she worked, her focus completely inward. Mau'te counted thirty clicks before she stopped. A moment later, he heard a single loud click, and he held his breath. Vette smiled and pulled her hand out, holding it up like a prize. Mau'te nodded and offered her his hand. She considered it then allowed him to help her up.

Leaning close, he whispered, "Well done."

Vette dropped her jaw in mock surprise, and Mau'te gave her a sour look in return.

He motioned her down the corridor, but she held up her hand then ran a fingertip along the edge of her sleeve. In a moment, she nodded and started down the corridor. He was about to ask, when he remembered the locks were timed. She must have a tactile chronometer sewn into her sleeve. She managed to impress him again.

He wouldn't be the one to kill her. Baras could do it and would probably forget about ten minutes later. Or an Imperial firing squad. But not him. He wouldn't do it. And, she'd have her last meal. Something really-

Mau'te grabbed Vette and pulled her into the shadows just before a group of failed acolytes reached an intersection in front of them. He pressed against the wall, one arm shielding Vette and the other near his vibrosword. Three of the acolytes continued through the intersection, but one held back. The others motioned to him, but he searched the darkness as if listening for something. Mau'te waved his hand within the shadows, and confusion fell over the acolyte's face. He shook his head clear and followed the others.

Mau'te waited, giving the acolyte's some distance, before stepped from the shadows. He expected a scowl from Vette, but she checked her chronometer instead.

"How long?" he whispered.

"Twenty-six minutes," she replied.

They reached the second statue without finding another group. Vette slipped her hand behind the statue without Mau'te's help. He scanned the corridor and tried to keep his mind off the rapid clicking. Thirty-four clicks that time, a pause, a loud click, and she pulled her hand out. She checked her chronometer then held up ten fingers twice and two.

Another group passed them on the way to the next statue, but Mau'te had the method now. He pulled Vette into the shadows, without resistance that time, and waved on the more perceptive acolytes.

They reached the third statue without further incident. Vette watched Mau'te for approval, but he shook his head. An acolyte entered the intersection near the statue. Mau'te raised his hand, but noticed the confused expression on the acolyte's face. The acolyte looked around as he'd forgotten why he was there. He searched each corridor, struggling with the answer, then gave up and left the way he entered.

Mau'te looked at Vette, and the two of them nearly burst into laughter. They turned away to hold it in. When they looked back, they started shaking with silent laughs. Vette tapped her chronometer frantically, and Mau'te nodded, clenching his jaw tight.

Vette knelt next to the statue, took three long breaths to calm herself, and began.

Once the clicking started, the laughter fled Mau'te. He searched the lock mechanism with the Force but found overlapping, unused, or redundant gears designed to confuse his senses. A lock that well designed might detect his search, so he pulled back.

The rapid clicking stopped, a pause, then a loud click, and Vette pulled her hand out.

"Well done," Mau'te said. Vette tried to hide a smile, and Mau'te pretended not to notice. "How long?"

She checked her chronometer and said, "Seventeen minutes."

They were making good time. One combination to go. He didn't need her after that. Baras had told him, once the combinations were done, the door to the tomb opened by turning a simple switch. Mau'te could kill Vette after the fourth lock.

He glanced at her. Pretty, intense, old eyes in a young face. A face that could laugh in the middle of this and work knowing what would happen when she finished.

Baras was wrong. Mau'te would need her if the locks reset.

The last lock was behind an exposed pedestal, not a recessed statue, and stood beneath a luminous crystal.

Mau'te pointed to a shadowed corner with a clear view of the area and whispered, "I'll watch from there."

Vette nodded and moved to the pedestal.

Just as Vette began to work, an acolyte entered the area, searching with the Force. Mau'te tried to confuse his mind, but the acolyte shook it off. Acolytes failed for any number of reasons, including bad luck. Some didn't deserve to fail. Mau'te tried again with a stronger push. The acolyte blinked hard and continued forward. He was soon close enough to hear the clicking. Mau'te tried to make the acolyte think the sound was vermin, but that wouldn't last. The final click would be too loud for Mau'te to cover.

He could let her die. That last click meant she was done. Mau'te could hide himself from the acolyte easily. Any other Sith Lord would leave her to her fate.

The acolyte drew his sword and pushed against Mau'te's influence. Mau'te drew his own sword and thought, stupid little slave girl. Stupid, annoying, pathetic little slave girl! And he charged.


	3. Vette

Calm. Stay calm. Six to go. First finger, forward three. Third finger, back two. Stay calm. Second finger, forward one then back four. You did not go through all of this, all of them, all of him, to fail now. Two to go. One. That's it. Vette took a quick breath, grabbed the four cylinders, and pulled. She heard the loud, clear click and yanked her hand out.

She did it. She stared at her shaking hand. They can't take it away from her.

Suddenly, the air wrapped around her like a leather blanket and pulled her two meters across the floor. A moment later, a vibrosword struck the pedestal where her head had been.

That son of a bitch! I knew it! No, that's a human.

The failed acolyte turned and attacked Vette, but Mau'te blocked his sword. No, he did more than block it. He knocked it back hard, nearly tearing it from the acolyte's hands. The acolyte tried to recover, but Mau'te never gave him the chance. He struck around or through the acolyte's defenses like fighting a practice dummy. After a few solid hits, Mau'te stabbed the acolyte's chest. The vibrosword overloaded his heart, and switched him off like a light.

Two more acolytes, probably allies of the first, responded to noise. One of them reached Mau'te just as the first acolyte fell and attacked him from behind. Vette tried to call out but didn't have the time. But, it didn't matter. Mau'te swung his sword over his shoulder and blocked the attack blind. Without turning, he kicked his heel straight up into the second acolyte's jaw, knocking him to the ground. The third acolyte swung at Mau'te. He slid out of way, but the second acolyte had time to get to his feet. From there, the fight turned into bad choreography. Mau'te blocked where they were about to attack, struck where an opening was about to appear. He fought as if two opponents didn't count as a challenge, and killed them as if they were less than nothing.

Mau'te returned to Vette and held out his hand. "Are you all right?" he asked.

She nodded and let him help her up. The weight of events got to her, and she hugged him, shaking, then gasped and stepped back. She looked away from him and tried to pretend she hadn't just done that.

"Did I hurt you?" he asked.

"What?" she said.

"When I pushed you."

"Oh," she said. "A little. Better than getting my head caved in."

"I'm sorry anyway," he said. "How long have we got?"

She checked her chronometer. "Eleven minutes." Based on her time at the other locks, he killed them in under two minutes. She wasn't sure if she should be frightened or impressed.

"Plenty of time," he said. He started towards the last chamber.

"What about them?" Vette asked.

"The tradition is to leave them as a warning to others."

Right. No more Mister nice Sith. Just do it. Get it over with.

"Let's go, Vette," he said.

She nodded and followed him.

Half way there, he stopped and pulled her close.

"Calm down," he told her. "You're screaming your emotions. The acolytes can sense it."

She nodded.

"I didn't just save your life to kill you later."

Oh, yeah. That's a good point.

"Sorry," she said and forced herself to relax.

They dodged one more group before the final chamber, and entered the area cautiously.

"This is it," Vette said. "The secret entrance is here. Just let me get my bearings."

"Move fast," Mau'te whispered. "Someone is here."

Vette reached the wall and began searching for the switch but kept one eye on Mau'te. He had moved to the center of chamber and was searching the walls for enemies. He looked at Vette for a moment, and that's when Vemrin attacked.

Vemrin leapt from the shadows, swinging at Mau'te's head. Mau'te dodged out of the way and kicked Vemrin in the chest, knocking him back. Vemrin rolled back and recovered fast, and the two Sith started circling each other.

"You need better allies," Mau'te said. "I sensed your companion on the way in."

Vemrin's eyes narrowed, but he covered it with a smile. "I'll chastise him after I'm done with you."

He has no idea, Vette thought. I guess Mau'te has more than one enemy.

"Keep working, slave," Vemrin said. "I want the entrance uncovered by the time I finish killing your new master."

Fuck you, she thought.

They looked at her sharply then returned to each other.

Oh, right. Mind reading. Forgot about that one.

"Becoming Baras's apprentice is my destiny," Vemrin said.

"Your destiny is to be forgotten a month from now," Mau'te replied.

"My passions run deeper than yours," Vemrin snarled. "I am the true essence of what it is to be Sith."

"I doubt the true essence of Sith is to be long winded and predictable," Mau'te said.

"My legacy has suffered long enough," Vemrin began. "After today-"

Mau'te attacked before Vemrin could finish.

Vemrin was no failed acolyte. Even Vette could see that. The fight didn't have the bad choreography look. Strike and counterstrike were more balanced and much faster. Vemrin nearly hit Mau'te twice and blocked most of his attacks. But not all. Vemrin started arrogant, but turned angry then cautious when his attacks failed. He might have reached fear if Mau'te had given him the chance, but he weakened Vemrin, forced an opening, and struck, faster than Vette could follow. Vemrin died before she knew he'd been hit.

"Wow, nice work," Vette said.

"Find the entrance!"

"I already have!" She pressed the final switch, and the wall rumbled open.

"Why didn't you do this earlier?" Mau'te asked as the sections of wall slid out of sight.

"It only stays open for a minute."

"Oh," he said. "Of course."

"And I don't know how to open it from that side." The map had been very vague about that.

"You won't need to," Mau'te said. "I'll have the lightsaber."

They entered the passageway and watched as the walls closed behind them.

"What if you can't get the lightsaber?" she asked.

"We die of dehydration."

Now he tells me.

He put a hand on her shoulder. "You won't die here, Vette. And, I won't let Baras kill you. You did very well today. I told you, I don't punish success."

She didn't believe it. There was only one reason he'd want her alive after the door was opened.

"No, Vette," he said. "I won't touch you like that without permission."

"Hey!" she said. "That's rude."

"Sorry, but your thoughts are very loud sometimes."

She gave him a sour look and shrugged his hand away.

"By the way," he said. "One of my instructors has a cybernetic hand. When he heard where I was going, he told me to come back in one piece. I thought I should wait to tell you that."

"Is _every_ conversation with you like this?"

"Like what?"

"Never mind."

"Let's go," he said. "And stay behind me. The tomb will have guardians, but, if you don't attack them, they might not attack you."

"Okay," she said. It might work. He _was_ really good with a sword.

"Thank you."

"Stop that!"

He laughed and shook his head.

"If we make it out of here," he said, "I promise I'll teach you how to hide your thoughts."

"Thanks. What kind of guardians, by the way?"

"Droids, of course," he said. "And something else. You might have made it past the droids. You never would have made it past the something else."

"How do you know?"

He said, "The archive has a record of acolytes that made it into the tomb but never made it out."

"You know all kinds of fun information, don't you?"

"Try thinking about the dinner I'm buying you later."

"You were serious about that? Wow. Okay. So, what can I-"

Mau'te shoved her backwards, knocking her down. Two statues had come to life, and Mau'te had reacted before Vette noticed anything. He blocked the attacks and tore apart the droids as easily as he had the failed acolytes.

"Did I hurt you?" he asked while helping her to her feet.

"Not really." She looked at the droids. "And thanks. Again."

Eight droids later, including four at once, they entered the final chamber. Statues like guardians lined the path to the sarcophagus. Flickering shadows on the wall seemed to move on their own. Vette shuddered and shrank back.

"Wow," she said. "When you Sith do creepy, you _really_ do creepy."

Mau'te said, "We've had a lot of practice. Wait here, and hope I win against the guardian."

"What do I do if you lose?"

"Run until it catches you," he replied.

"I love these little chats of ours."

Mau'te ascended the platform and forced open the sarcophagus. He pulled out the ancient lightsaber, brushed the cobwebs from it, and examined the power supply. He looked at Vette and nodded. With his eyes on the chamber, he ignited the blade. The saber's emitter sparked, and a fractured blade slowly formed as if struggling to stand.

Three statues broke open. Corpses, armed with vibroswords, rose from the debris and attacked Mau'te. He cut down two of them, but the third fought back with surprising skill. More statues broke open, releasing more corpses. They were slow, but fought with skill and numbers. Mau'te had skill, speed and a lightsaber, but that might not be enough. He blocked as much as he could, and severed limbs when he found an opening. A battle of attrition, the guardians tried to wear down Mau'te while he dismembered them into uselessness. A half hour later, Mau'te cut apart the last corpse. He deactivated the lightsaber and dropped to his knees, his body covered with scorch marks.

Vette approached carefully, tiptoeing around the bodies.

"Do you need any help?" she asked.

"Just some rest," he said and leaned against a large piece of statue. "Any water left?"

She sat next to him and handed him the canteen.

"What were these things?"

After a long drink, he said, "Remember the acolytes that didn't make it out?"

"Ew! And I thought this place couldn't get any worse."

He gave her the lightsaber. "You wanted to see it."

She turned it over in her hands. It looked top-heavy and clumsy. Dark stains covered the metal, and the leather wrap was cracked and peeling.

"I thought it'd be cooler looking." She gave it back.

"He was a powerful Sith Lord," Mau'te said. "Not a powerful concept artist."

"Does it have enough power to get us out?"

"It should," he said. "If not, I can use the power cell from my vibrosword." He closed his eyes and tried to relax. "Congratulations on surviving the day."

"Thanks," she said. "This would almost be relaxing, if we weren't surrounded by dismembered body parts."

"All right," he said with a groan. "We can go."

"We still need to sneak out," she said.

He shook his head. "The acolytes won't attack anyone with a lightsaber."

After they were out of the chamber, she asked, "Do I really get dinner?"

"Yes," he said.

"And you won't touch me without permission?"

"No."

"And I don't get a cut?"

He stopped and stared at her.

"What?" she said. "I was just asking."

He sighed and shook his head.

"Sorry," she said.

They continued walking.

"How much is it worth, anyway?"

He groaned and kept walking.

"What?" she said.


	4. Vette 2

"Do it, murderer," the woman said.

Mau'te held her against a wall, one hand on her wrist, pinning her sword, the other holding the inactive lightsaber against her neck.

"Look around," he said. "These halls are filled with murderers."

"But only one of them killed my father," she spat.

Mau'te leaned close and whispered something Vette couldn't hear.

"You lie!" the woman said.

"Prove me wrong."

She glared in response.

"Or die here," Mau'te said. "Make your choice."

She looked around at the other acolytes as they watched with mild amusement.

"So be it," she said and dropped her vibrosword.

Mau'te stepped back.

"I will redeem my father's name and then return for you," she said. She left with a parting glare. The audience shrugged and moved on.

Vette said, "You make all kinds of friends, don't you?"

"Almost as many as you," Mau'te replied.

The continued down a long corridor toward an obviously important office. Mau'te paused near the entrance.

"If you speak disrespectfully to Baras," he said, "he could kill you out of reflex. In fact, he might not notice he's done it."

"Thanks," she said. "That's a good thing to know."

They passed through an outer office manned by Imperial officers. Some of them watched Mau'te with veiled contempt, but he ignored them and entered the next office without knocking. Oh, right. Sith Lord. He probably sensed them.

Vette expected dripping blood or torture racks or something, but the office was very nice, clean and simple and very business like. However, the big guy in the Sith mask was scary as shit.

"Congratulations, acolyte," Baras said in a voice that sent chills to places Vette never wanted chilled.

"Darth Baras," Mau'te said, "The lightsaber of Naga Sadow." He held out the weapon.

"I am beside myself," Baras said and ignited the saber. "Not only did you get the slave to cooperate, but you completed the task and claimed the ancient lightsaber." He deactivated the blade. "I shall carry it to next council meeting as evidence of your accomplishment. It seems Tremel was right about you." He watched Mau'te for a moment. "Vemrin was not in my chamber as I instructed. I take it he sought to stop you and claim the ancient weapon as his own."

"He was nothing if not consistent."

"I knew he would confront you," Baras said. "Who better to test your mettle?"

"Why throw away a good man? He could have been a valuable asset."

"A necessary sacrifice," Baras replied. "It had to be done to bring out your best. Besides, Vemrin's arrogance always exceeded his strength. He would have come to an early end anyway." He paused again, perhaps smiling or thinking about small animals he might hurt. "I had my doubts about you, considering what you are, and what you were, and I do not rely on guesswork. I had to be sure you were true Sith."

"Consider me educated," Mau'te said.

Baras said, "Bravo. Your trials are over. You are now my apprentice."

"I am yours to command, my master."

Vette looked away at the word.

"Now, tell me, apprentice-" The mask turned toward Vette. "Why is the slave still alive?"

"She has useful skills," Mau'te replied.

"You stopped in the middle of my mission for that?"

Mau'te shook his head. "Other skills. Stealth, slicing, adaptation."

"Yes," Baras said in a pleased, creepy voice. "And no divided loyalties. And easier to dispose of. I approve. The slave is yours. Now, let us discuss your training."

"May I have a moment?"

"Be quick, apprentice."

Mau'te took Vette to the outer office.

"You," he said to a female lieutenant.

"My lord," she replied and rushed to him.

"This is Vette," Mau'te said.

"Shall I return her to her cell?" the officer asked.

"No," Mau'te said. "She has earned a reward. Get her a shower and some clean clothes, then take her to the restaurant on the thirty-"

"Ninth?"

"Yes. The thirty-ninth floor. I will join her when I'm done here, and she is to be treated with respect at all times, or I will be annoyed."

"Of course, my lord," the officer said. "Miss Vette, if you'll come with me."

Once they were out of earshot of the other officers, she said to Vette, "Lord Mau'te. Congratulations. You wouldn't need to picture someone else with him."

"Do you do that a lot?"

"Sith Lords can be very helpful to your career," the officer said. "Closing your eyes and thinking of something else is a small price to pay for a promotion." She leaned close and lowered her voice. "I know one officer that got command of a frigate by agreeing to spend her first day on the bridge naked. Now she has the frigate and a very happy bridge crew."

"He said he wouldn't do that to me," Vette said.

"Too bad," the officer replied. "Some Sith Lords are chased for reasons other than promotion. I hear he has quite a reputation."

"I'll take your word for that."

The lieutenant took Vette to private shower.

"Here you go. I'll make sure no one disturbs you. Do you want your clothes cleaned or replaced?" She examined Vette's clothes. "Replaced, I think. Hand them over, so I can match your size."

"Right," Vette said and looked for someplace to change but found nothing.

"We are both women," the lieutenant said.

"Sorry," Vette said. "My mother said a slave should never be pretty or naked."

"Your mother sound like a very wise woman."

Vette nodded and started to undress. The officer exhaled once her shirt was off, probably at the exposed ribs.

"Did you get those here?" the officer asked, indicating some bite marks.

Vette shook her head. "I got those on Nar-Shaddaa."

"Oh. The k'lor'slugs have a tiny relative," the officer said. "Some of the more difficult prisoners are put in the lower levels near the nests." She took a bottle from a shelf and handed it to Vette. "This should work on any kind of bite. It will help with the itching, and they'll heal a lot faster. If the wound bubbles, it means there are eggs. And this-" She took another bottle. "is the best soap we have. It's a bit rough, but, after a long trip in the desert, it's the only thing that makes you feel clean."

The lieutenant gathered the clothes and left. Vette stepped into the shower and let the hot water and soap scrape away the grime.

* * *

By the time the officer returned, Vette was out of the shower and wrapped in a towel, dabbing at wounds with the salve.

"Almost done," she said. She covered a wound, winced at the initial sting, then sighed as the pain and itching went away. "No bubbling so far."

"Excellent." The officer put a stack of clothes on the bathroom counter. "All I could find was nerf herder clothing, but, it's clean, and it should fit. I understand they make it from the underbelly fur. It's supposed to be very soft."

Vette picked them up. They were the first new clothes she'd had since... well, since Nox. Everything else had been found or "donated".

"Wow," Vette said, pulling the clothes on. "They _are_ soft. Your nerf herders treat themselves well."

"I'll have to remember that," the lieutenant said. "You know, you're very respectable for an alien."

"Gee," Vette said. "Thanks."

They took an elevator up the side of the building, giving Vette a view of the valley. It spread out brown and dusty with broken tombs scattered everywhere. Blaster fire sparked in the distance as Imperial troops attacked the rebels. Violence and decay. A perfect training ground for the Sith.

The greeter at the restaurant smiled at the officer and contained himself at the sight of Vette.

"How may I help you?" he asked the lieutenant.

"Lord Mau'te has just been named apprentice to Darth Baras," she said.

The greeter nodded.

"This young lady assisted him in his final trials." She leaned close. "He returned with the lightsaber of Naga Sadow."

The greeter appeared impressed. "Lord Mau'te. He's the-"

"Yes, he is," the officer said. "He said she is to be treated with respect, or he will be annoyed."

"Of course," the greeter said. "Apprentice to a member of the Dark Council. We shall do our very best."

A waiter called to him. "I have an empty table, sir. I can take her."

"Oh, yes," the greeter said. "You're used to dealing with- Yes, very good."

The officer nodded and left, and the waiter guided Vette to a secluded table.

"Don't worry about them," he whispered. "That's as close to respectful as they're going to get." He tapped a button in front of her that activated a holo-emitter in the middle of the table. "The menu is here. Any idea how long he'll be?"

"He's in a meeting with Darth Baras," Vette said.

"Oh. Settle in. I'll make sure no one bothers you."

She scanned the room. She was severely underdressed for this place, but her clothes were clean and comfortable, so she didn't give a shit. She went through the menu a few times before the appetizers arrived then went through it a couple of more times. She watched the door and leaned back, trying to get a better view but saw nothing. When Vette turned back, she found a Twi'lek woman sitting across from her and nearly jumped from her chair.

"Hello," the woman said with a smile. "Pleasure to meet you." She was dark blue and lean with a slave's brand over her left eye. Three wide stripes ran down each of her lekku and a seventh crossed between the two tails.

"Uh... hi?"

"I was watching you from the ridge this morning."

"Oh," Vette said. "You're with-"

"Vemrin? No." She tilted her head, still smiling. "I have my own interest in Lord Mau'te."

"Interest?"

"We're both Twi'lek Sith Lords," she said. "A political union between the two of us could be beneficial to our species. But-" Her smile deepened. "I don't mind if he has something on the side. Has he made use of you yet?"

"No," Vette said. "He told me he wouldn't do that."

"Pity. I guess I'll have to find out the old-fashioned way." She examined Vette. "Did you really sneak onto Korriban from Nar-Shaddaa?"

"Yeah, I did. Who are you?"

The woman looked down at the menu. "Try the seared skirt steak in the house sauce. Spicey, but very good." She looked at the door. "He's here."

Vette turned toward the door. A moment later, Mau'te entered. She turned back and jumped again. The chair was empty and pushed in, as if it had never been used.

"Something wrong, Vette?" Mau'te asked when he arrived. He'd gotten rid of the scorched clothing and wore something more apprenticey.

"Did you see a Twi'lek woman in that chair?" Vette asked the waiter.

"Yes, I did."

"Did you see where she went?"

"No," he said. "Sorry."

"Twi'lek woman?" Mau'te said, sitting down.

The waiter excused himself.

"Yeah," Vette said. "I thought _my_ stealth skills were good, but wow."

"What did she look like?"

"She was an acolyte," Vette said. "About your color, my size, slave's brand over one eye, scary as shit. Asked if you'd made use of me."

Mau'te grabbed her wrist and squeezed hard. Vette cried out and pulled away.

"I'm terribly sorry, Vette," Mau'te said. He stared at his hand. "I shouldn't have done that. It won't happen again. You have my word."

"Okay," she said, holding her wrist.

"How can I make it up to you?"

"Can I... get dessert?"

"Yes, Vette," he said. He smiled at her cautiously. "You can get dessert." After a moment of silence, he said, "What did she want?"

"A political union. She said it might benefit Twi'lek."

"Oh, yes. Benefit Twi'lek in the Empire. That does make sense."

"She was the one watching us from the ridge. She wasn't with Vemrin."

"Interesting," he said. "A dark blue Twi'lek female. I thought I knew all the Twi'lek acolytes, but I don't recall a dark blue female." He thought for a moment. "Wait. Lord Zash just took a Twi'lek apprentice. That must be it. You're lucky you saw her at all. Zash trains assassins."

"A Sith assassin? Because regular scary isn't enough?"

"Not for all of us."

The waiter returned and asked for their orders.

Vette said, "I'll have the seared..., uh, seared skirt steak-"

"The seared skirt steak in the house sauce?" the waiter said. "Excellent choice."

Mau'te said, "I'll have the same."

The waiter nodded and left.

"Scary Sith Lady suggested it," Vette said.

"I hope it's not poisoned."

She stared at him.

"That was a joke," he said. "If she was going to poison us, she wouldn't introduce herself first."

"Right," Vette said. "So, you own me?"

"You are officially my slave," he said. "And I can decide that you will not be killed. However, the Empire does expect some kind of... repayment of your debt."

"Like... what?"

"Stay here and work on cleaning out the tombs."

"And get killed by a Sith Lord?"

"Actually," he said, "Most slaves don't die by Sith Lord. Most are killed by k'lor'slugs. Then cave-in, then shot trying to escape, then parasitic infestation, then Sith Lord."

"Nice to know I have choices."

"Or," he said, "You could work for me as an independent contractor."

"Doing what?"

"The same thing that got you here, stealth, slicing, a little thieving."

"You want me to steal for the Empire?"

"You'd be paid for it," he said. "Once you paid off your debt."

"Okay, but..."

"But why? The task Baras has for me would benefit from someone with your skillset. Normally, I would request an agent from Imperial Intelligence, but Baras doesn't want them involved."

"And I'm more disposable," Vette said.

"Yes. Technically. But, you would get to see the galaxy and earn some money. You'll be required to fight, but you'll also get your guns back."

"And, you won't touch me? Again."

"Not without permission," he told her.

"I guess it's better than the slugs or the other stuff."

"Very good," he said.

"So we're clear, I'm officially on strike when it comes to domestic duties."

"What a shocking revelation."

"Yeah, yeah. Just don't get any twisted ideas in that Sithy head of yours."

"I wouldn't be much of a Sith if I didn't," he said. "But, I won't act on them." He looked up. "They have our dinner."

"That part is kind of annoying."

"I know."

The waiter returned with their food. Vette stared at it but didn't touch it.

"Not hungry?" Mau'te asked.

"When you pushed me in the tomb, the first time, I thought you were attacking me," she told him. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. Any other Sith Lord would have attacked you."

"I know," she said. "But I wanted to apologize."

"Apology accepted."

She dove into the food.

"Wow," she said. "This is really good."

"Yes. It seems my stalker has excellent taste."

"You know," she said between bites, "You're not like most Sith Lords."

"I suppose not," he said. "But, I wasn't raised in the Empire."

"Where'd you get the accent?"

"Picked it up as an acolyte."

"But, you're originally Republic?"

"Yes," he said. "In fact, you might have heard of my family. My full name is Mau'te Onoka."

"Might?" she said. "I'm Twi'lek. I thought all of you were Jedi."

"I was once," he said. "I was originally a Padawan."

"Somebody... turned you?"

"Not exactly."

"Don't ask?" she said.

"Best not."

"Wait," she said. "Decent smugglers, huh?"

He smiled. "I take it you and he-"

"No," she said. "A friend of mine. She said she dated an Onoka. She said he was really nice to her then pissed her off and walked away. She never knew why."

"Is you're friend Twi'lek?"

Vette nodded.

"That's why. He doesn't want children. I understand his reasons, but it leads to situations like that. My apologies to your friend."

"So," she said. "Now what?"

"We will travel to Dromund Kaas," Mau'te replied. "Baras will have tasks for me to test me and prepare me for his mission. You will be training to improve the skills you already have."

"Where do I live?"

"We will share an apartment," he said. "Until I can afford something better."

"How much do I get?"

"A contractor's fee with a bonus every time you're in combat. Most will go to paying off your debt, but not all."

"Sound's good. I don't think Korriban is really my kind of place." She pushed the last of her steak into her mouth and chewed slowly. "If it's going to be a while before my first paycheck, could I get two deserts?"

Mau'te rolled his eyes and nodded.

* * *

Vette stared out the elevator window, bidding goodbye to Korriban.

Appetizers, dinner, two deserts. Vette actually felt full. The last time she felt full was two years ago. Plasmajack stole that case of nerfburgers, and Flash grilled them over a power converter. That was a good week.

"You're happy about something," Mau'te said.

He was watching her, but she pretended not to notice.

"Sorry," she said.

"It's quite all right," he said.

The elevator stopped, earlier than expected.

"We're going to my quarters," he said.

She stared at him.

"So, I can _pack_ ," he finished. "And build my lightsaber. And, I had Knash send up your toolbox."

The quarters were dorm room small, cramped but clean. Her toolbox sat on a small table, and he gave the box to her.

"All yours," he said. "But don't wear the guns while you're on Korriban. Just in case."

The packing didn't take long. He left the acolyte clothing, and packed only those things that made him look like a Sith Lord. Then he sat at the table, set a small case in front of him, and extracted the pieces of his lightsaber.

"Does this take long?" Vette asked.

He shook his head. "We can prepare the parts, but we are not allowed to assemble the final device until we are named an apprentice." He pushed a power cell into a charging station, then removed two red lenses from protective cases.

"I thought the crystals were raw and bumpy," Vette said.

"No," he said. "The crystal is cut into two lenses, and the lenses shape the beam into a standing wave. It is the purpose of the color crystal. The standing wave requires a single wavelength. The wavelength is determined by the thickness of the crystal layers. The color itself comes from the beam generator, but it is tuned to match the crystals."

"Oh. Someone told me the lightsaber was red, because the crystal was angry."

"What?" he said. "'The crystal was _angry_ '? I've heard some dumb theories about lightsabers, but that is one of the worst. It's a block of mineral. It doesn't have an emotional state."

"Sorry. Why are Sith lightsabers red?"

"We craft our crystals. They have a looser molecular structure, so a longer wavelength." He polished each lens and set them into the crystal chamber. "But, we choose to craft them."

"Why?"

"Iron. It is the final stage of nuclear fusion and at the core of most stars. That makes it abundant in the galaxy. Its chemical properties make it an excellent oxygen exchange medium, and a very good basis for blood." He slid the crystal chamber into the handgrip and attached the beam generator below it. "More blood is based on iron than any other element, so more blood is red than any other color." He attached the control section and then the emitter. "We associate blood with aggression," he said. "And passion. Emotions important to the Sith." He took the fully charged power cell, added it to the pommel, and attached the pommel to the rest of the lightsaber.

"Wow," Vette said. "That is much cooler than that Naga guy's."

"Thank you. I've been designing this lightsaber since I was eight."

"Is that it? Is it done?"

"Not yet." He adjusted the controls until one of the lights on the control section blinked red three times. "Diagnostic mode," he told her and pressed the activation lever. The red light started blinking again. "When the other light turns green, it's done. But, I've tested each component repeatedly. It won't fail."

"You know," Vette said. "The way you talk about it, it doesn't sound special."

"Of course it's special," Mau'te said. He held up the saber. "It's just not mystical. It's technology. Nothing more. It's the person using it that makes it special." The red light stopped blinking, and the green light came on. "We are told 'this weapon is your life.' With the Force and a lightsaber, a Sith Lord can achieve his goals. He can destroy his enemies. He can gain power. With the Force and a lightsaber, a Sith Lord can shape the galaxy." He adjusted the controls again, and the green light blinked three times and went out. "When I first designed this lightsaber, I wanted to use it to save the Republic." His voice dropped to a low growl, and the scar over his eye seemed to darken. "Now, I'm going to use it to kill my brother."

With a cold hiss, the red blade came to life.


	5. The Knight and The Consular

Ranna Tao'Ven clung to the Jedi's neck and cried out as the climax took her. He held her until the spasms passed, then kissed her mouth and her neck and her chest.

"More," she said between gasps. "Please, more."

She was safe while he held her, while he used her, while he did things to her. She wasn't Matriarch in his arms, or pilgrim, or orphan. She was flesh and pleasure and nothing more. Maybe, if she could be everything he wanted...

He stopped and looked up as if he'd heard something.

"Agenord?" she said.

"There's something wrong," he told her.

He left the bed, pulled on his pants, and listened. She watched him, tall and gorgeous with hard features and a harder body. His only flaw was a long, deep scar that ran diagonally between his eyes from his right forehead to his left cheek. He took his vibrosword, and started toward the door cautiously until he heard the loud crack of an ion rifle and a squeal from Teeseven. Agenord activated the vibrosword and ran out the door.

No, Ranna thought. She grabbed a robe and followed. She found Moorint, Eseni and Saylew aiming weapons at Agenord. The Padawan's striped lekku flicked back and forth like the tail of an angry predator.

"Not him," Ranna said. "Not him. That was the deal. Not him."

Eseni's eyes widened at Ranna.

"Matriarch, step aside," Moorint said. "Handing over the boy's Master wasn't enough. This Padawan has to die."

"Leave him alone!" Ranna said. "That was the pact!"

"Bengel Morr refused your terms." He raised his rifle. "This is to save our people!"

Moorint fired a sleep dart at Agenord. The Padawan caught it in the air without taking his eyes from Moorint's face.

Moorint stared and said, "Oh, shit."

Agenord dropped the dart and said, "You want to drop your weapons."

The eyes of Moorint and Saylew glazed over.

"We want to drop our weapons?" Moorint said.

"Yes!" Eseni said. "We want to drop our weapons." She threw down her rifle.

The men dropped their weapons.

"You want to leave here peacefully," Agenord said.

"We...?" Saylew began.

"We want to leave here peacefully," Eseni said and pushed the confused men out the door.

Agenord took Ranna by the throat and growled, "What did you do?!"

"I did what was needed to save my people!"

"We helped you," Agenord said.

"Only after the flesh raiders threatened you! Before that, we were nothing to you!" She shook emotion. "Bengel Morr promised us safety."

"He lied."

"I know!" she yelled at him. "But, once the temple was attacked, you'd call for help. All we had to do was hold out until the Republic troops arrived. The Jedi are doomed. This was our only hope."

"Not yet," he said. "The flesh raiders are tribal. An army isn't natural to them. Destroy Bengel Morr and the war leaders, and the army will fall apart."

"We've done everything we can against them."

"You're not Jedi," he said.

"You could stay," she said. "You could be our protector. We could be safe."

He released her throat. "Repair Teeseven. I'm getting dressed."

When he returned, Teeseven was up but not fully active. The droid beeped weakly at the sight of him.

"Agenord-," Ranna said.

"Not now." He took out his holo-communicator and contacted Master Satele.

"Padawan, it's good to see you," she said with a tone of urgency. "Is Master Orgus with you?"

"He's been captured by Bengel Morr," Agenord replied. "I believe Bengel Morr is gathering a flesh raider army to attack the temple."

"The attack has already begun. Is the village safe?"

"The villagers made a deal with Bengel Morr; safety if they refused to help us."

Master Satele shook her head. "Unfortunate and unnecessary. We believe Bengel Morr may be working with Nalen Raloch. Nalen would be his perfect disciple, and Bengel probably wants access to the teachings of Rajivari. Find Padawan Yvisnusiish. She can aid you in your search."

Agenord said, "Facing Bengel Morr with a vibrosword might prove difficult. Master Orgus told me to bring the components of my lightsaber with me. With your permission, I will construct it before I continue."

Master Satele smiled. "Sometimes, that man's foresight can be annoying. You have my permission, as does Padawan Yvisnusiish. May the Force be with you both. Satele out."

"The village was already safe, wasn't it?" Ranna said. "Because Bengel Morr made the deal with Nalen."

"Yes," Agenord said. "But, he could have stopped them from attacking the village after the Jedi were destroyed." He watched her with a little pity. "You should get dressed. Your people will need you soon."

Teeseven whistled despondently.

Ranna looked to Agenord for translation, but he shrugged at her. She left to dress, and Agenord gave his power cell to Teeseven for charging and contacted Yvisnusiish.

* * *

Yvisnusiish Onoka stood naked in front of a mirror, examining her body. The Jedi training had robbed her of some breast size. She had a lot to spare, but that was still disappointing. The firm abs were nice, though. She should show more midriff. She turned to see her ass. Too bad the Jedi didn't allow high heels. She would look good in heels.

"Do you think I'd look good in heels, Qyzen? What am I saying? Your people don't even like mammals."

"No," he hissed. "But we understand modesty."

She flicked her hand at him. "Modesty is overrated." She pulled on her Jedi clothes. She was restricted to types of cloth she could use, but had a little leeway in how she designed them. Once she pulled on the outer robes, she tightened the leather straps around her chest to push and lift her breasts to their optimal shape. Not a single Padawan at the Academy could match them. A couple of the Masters gave her some competition, but she had youth against them. She smoothed the robes. The straps had been a good addition. They were functional and mimicked the web patterns on her lekku, adding symmetry. Overall, one of her best designs.

As she left the building, she was greeted by Vederiat Ayon.

"And this was all you needed, Padawan?" Vederiat asked. Like most people, she kept her face rigid when trying not to look at the Padawan's chest.

"Yes," Yvisnusiish said. "Jedi are not allowed to accept money. You have my gratitude for the opportunity to cleanse myself after my trials."

"Are your trials complete?" Vederiat said.

"Not yet, but soon. Qyzen, shall we go?"

She wandered through the village, accepted a flat bread graciously, and continued on. She still felt that weirdness from the Temple, and she was stuck in this place until it passed. Then she stopped. Agenord was about to call her.

"Hello, Agenord," she said after the communicator beeped.

"Where are you, Yvie?"

"I'm in the village, getting lunch."

"Come to the Matriarch's house immediately."

"I'll be right there."

He was always so pushy.

* * *

"She'll be here soon," Agenord said when Ranna returned.

He sat at her table as he worked. She sat opposite him and watched.

"So," she said with a sigh. "Now what."

He paused in his work. "It depends on what has happened to Master Orgus. I have calmed down a bit. I understand why you did it. I will speak to the Council for you. They might want you removed, but I will do my best to save the village."

"I didn't mean the Council."

"It depends on what has happened to Master Orgus."

"I meant it," she said. "You could stay. I wouldn't mind stepping down if you were here."

"I was made to be a Jedi," he told her.

"Because you're an Onoka?"

"A lot of reasons," he said. "We're preparing for war. It's a bad time to sideline one of our best."

"Are you really that good?" she asked.

"Yes. I am." He returned to the lightsaber. He took the power cell from Teeseven and inserted it in the pommel.

"All that from one power cell?" she asked.

"No," he said. "Primary power is supplied by a class seven fusion cell."

"Isn't that dangerous?"

He shook his head. "The class seven has never failed." He placed two orange lenses in the crystal chamber.

"I thought they were all blue or green," Ranna said. "I'm sorry. I'm bothering you."

"It's all right," he said. "Most are blue or green. Blue represents protection; green, growth or rebirth. Ideals important to the Jedi. Yellow tends to be philosophical. Purple... is complicated. And, orange, because of its association with fire, is favored by more aggressive Jedi."

"Yes," she said. "You can be aggressive."

"I'm sorry if I hurt you," he said.

"Not enough to ask you to stop."

"I meant your throat."

"Oh," she said. "Right."

Agenord finished the assembly, put the lightsaber in diagnostic mode, and began the test.

"When that turns green, it's ready," he told her.

"Will you really be able to stop them?"

"The flesh raiders, yes. They're ferocious but not well trained. I'm less sure about Bengel Morr and Nalen Raloch, but we will see." The final light turned green. He returned the saber to active mode and ignited the blade, watching it carefully, the orange reflection burning bright in the scar across his face. He looked from the saber to the door. "Yvie is here."

* * *

"Matriarch," Yvisnusiish said when the door opened. "My cousin asked me to meet him here."

"Yes," Ranna said and showed her in.

Yvie found Agenord examining the blade of his weapon. He looked up and deactivated the saber, and the Matriarch followed Agenord's every movement. What was going on? Agenord was closed off, but the Matriarch was aroused and satisfied. Lots of women were aroused looking at Agenord, but why was she satisfied? Agenord, did you fuck the Matriarch? Perfect Jedi, my ass.

"I've spoken with Master Satele," Agenord said. "The Temple is under attack by an army of flesh raiders."

"Oh, that's what that was."

"If you sensed it, why didn't you warn them?" Agenord asked.

"I'm sure someone there sensed it."

"Fine," Agenord said. "We need to stop their war leaders, and we need to find Bengel Morr and Nalen Raloch. They're working together now."

"Bengel Morr wants that stuff from Rajivari?" Yvisnusiish said. "The Fount doesn't work anymore. I tried it."

"Why did you try it?"

"Because... I thought it would help me find Nalen. But the ghost told me he's at the Forge. He wants to destroy it so Jedi can't build lightsabers."

"Why didn't you go after him?" Agenord asked.

"You know that's not how it works. The Forge is ceremonial. Destroying it won't do anything."

"But, you left an insane Force sensitive wandering around with nothing to do."

"I had to kill one of those things," Yvisnusiish said. "The big ones. I forget what they're called. Anyway, I was all smelly, and I needed a bath."

"If you had stopped him immediately, we would only need to fight Bengel Morr. Now, we need to stop both of them." He took a breath. "Master Satele has given you permission to build your lightsaber. Do you have your components?"

"I don't have my lenses."

"You haven't picked out- Never mind. They took Master Orgus prisoner."

"Why?" she said.

"Bengel Morr probably wants to turn him, but he will slow them down. The Forge might have lenses, if we can get to it before Nalen destroys it. Assemble what you can now, and give your power cell to Teeseven. He'll charge it on the way."

Yvisnusiish gave Teeseven the power cell and rapidly assembled what she could.

"Why do you talk to her this way?" Qyzen asked.

"Oh, yeah. That's Qyzen," Yvie said. "He's a friend of Master Yuon's."

"She's my cousin," Agenord said to Qyzen. "I'm used to her."

"I have seen her fight," Qyzen said. "She is a strong hunter."

"I know," Agenord said.

"I do not like your words." Qyzen's hiss was low and heavy with intent.

"I understand, but now is not the time."

Qyzen looked at Yvisnusiish. "You are her kin," he said. "I will wait."

Yvie sighed inwardly. "I've done as much as I can. Let's go."

"What do I do?" Ranna asked.

"Protect your people," Agenord replied.

"And try to be nice to the Jedi," Yvie added.

Ranna looked at her sharply, but Yvie pretended not to notice.


	6. The Knight and The Consular 2

Allia watched Master Orgus carefully. He hadn't tried anything since he'd been captured, and that made her nervous. The flesh raiders with Bengel Morr growled again. More of their Force sensitive kin had been killed. War leaders must have died with them. They were the best the flesh raiders had, and they were nothing to the Jedi.

"Relax, girl," Bengel said. "They're not enough for us."

He kept saying that, but Allia wasn't sure.

"I don't like this Nalen," she said. "They're Onoka."

Bengel Morr sighed. "Every race in the Republic has a family like the Onoka. It doesn't make them special. The last Onoka Jedi died at the Sacking of Coruscant."

"After he killed eight Sith Lords," Orgus said.

Bengel glared at his former master.

"Don't worry, Allia," Nalen said. "With Master Bengel's skill and my new power, they don't stand a chance."

Allia smiled and nodded, but she would have felt better if they're hostage looked nervous.

"Keth," Nalen said. "How close are they?"

Keth started climbing a boulder.

"Don't bother," Bengel said. "One of them is nearly here. The other..." He listened. "The other has circled around and gone to the Forge."

"It's the female," Nalen said. "I know it. I can feel it. She's trying to build a lightsaber. We have to stop her."

Orgus looked away to hide his reaction.

"Go," Bengel said. "I don't need your help with one Padawan."

After the three Twi'lek left, Orgus said, "Your new apprentice will be very disappointed with you when he finds out."

Bengel said, "He'll be more receptive after the affects of the Fount have stabilized." He turned his head sharply, then pushed Master Orgus into a boulder, knocking him out. "I sensed you coming." He turned toward the Padawan , and the flesh raiders drew their weapons. "Your fear betrayed you. You're weak, like my old Master. You will fall. With him. The will of the Force guided me here for justice, to restore what the Jedi lost."

"Spare me the speeches," Agenord said.

"You don't understand," Bengel said. "You weren't on Coruscant. You never saw our greatest cut down or watched the temple burn. I escaped that destruction to see my own Master surrender to the Sith. They exterminated us, and he gave up."

"That's why you brought Master Orgus here? To make him pay?"

"One death changes nothing," Bengel said. "The weak will be sacrificed here, and the Jedi Order will be reborn from ashes."

"Enough," Agenord said, igniting his saber. "I'm here to end you."

Bengel's saber snapped to life. "So be it." He and the flesh raiders attacked.

* * *

"They approach," Qyzen said.

"I know," Yvisnusiish replied. She picked through the crystals, looking for two undamaged lenses. "Something will stop them."

"Fitting that it's you!" Nalen yelled from the base of the Forge. "Armed with the last lightsaber this Forge will ever make!"

"He's really annoying," Yvie said as she cleaned two blue lenses.

"I know Rajivari's secrets!" He called out. "Horrors that the Jedi have been chasing! And only I can protect us, our families and our- aahh!"

Three manka cats attacked Nalen and his companions. Keth and Allia fired on them. Keth missed, but Allia managed to kill one. The other two manka moved in cautiously. Nalen drew his vibrosword, hoping the sparks from the blade would scare the creatures.

"Told you," Yvie said to Qyzen. She inserted the lenses in her lightsaber, sealed it, and started the diagnostic program.

"Perhaps a test is not wise," Qyzen said.

"It'll be fine."

Allia and Keth fired again. The manka cats lept away, dodging the bolts, but continued stalking the Twi'lek. After a bit of yelling and gunfire, the green light on Yvie's saber blinked three times. She switched it into active mode, turned, and ran from the Forge. Halfway down the steps, she jumped at one of the manka cats, ignited her saber in the air, and plunged the blade into the animal's skull. The other cat leapt at her, but she pushed it with the Force, and it flew off the edge of the cliff. She turned and attacked Nalen, while his companions watched in shock. The new lightsaber felt right in Yvie's hands, powerful, what she deserved. She smiled at the fear in Nalen's eyes. He wasn't bad, she had to admit that, but he was a pilgrim with a vibrosword. He didn't stand a chance. She beat him back, weakened him with a few quick wounds, and knocked the sword from his hands. He dropped to the ground in front of her, his life, his death, completely in her hands. She smiled again while she considered his fate.

* * *

Agenord killed the two flesh raiders quickly, disappointed that he had to. Their deaths were Bengel's fault. But, he didn't let the regret slow him. Bengel was strong and experienced, and not afraid to use the Dark Side. He was Agenord's first genuine challenge since that day. Normally, Agenord would hold back a little to learn from his opponent, but he couldn't this time. Defeating Bengel took Agenord's best. Bengel got close to victory more than once, but, finally, Agenord twisted Bengel's saber from his hands and knocked him to the ground.

"You've won," Bengel said. "Why has the Force guided me to this defeat?"

"You guided yourself to this path," Agenord said.

"You're stronger than any Jedi I've known. You could redeem the order and destroy the Sith."

"The Order doesn't need to be redeemed," Agenord replied.

"I understand," Bengel said. "You are the weapon I came to forge. Think-how else could you have beaten me?"

"I spent five years with the Battlemasters, and I train a lot."

Bengel shook his head. "Don't deny the truth. I have spent a lifetime learning the paths to power. That knowledge is now yours. Let me leave Tython and prepare the galaxy for your ascendance. I will deliver the gifts you need to claim your destiny."

Agenord thought for a moment, then struck Bengel with the pommel of his saber. "Sorry, not today."

"Well done, Padawan," Orgus said in a weak voice.

"How long have you been awake?" Agenord cut the bindings on Orgus's hands.

"Not long," Orgus said. "What did Bengel say at the end?"

"Nothing of importance."

Orgus stood slowly. "Your cousin will need our help."

A manka cat howled as it fell into the ravine.

"She'll be fine," Agenord said.

Orgus looked down at Bengel. "You've done a great thing. He deserves a second chance. The horrors he witnessed on Coruscant broke him-destroyed the gentle Padawan I trained. You, however, faced a challenge beyond any trial I could assign. There's nothing more I can teach you."

"Thank you, Master," Agenord replied.

"I sense some doubt in you, Agenord. Did Bengel's words reach you?"

"No, Master, of course not. I disobeyed the Jedi Code. I know Jedi aren't allowed to form attachments, but... something happened with Ranna."

"I'm proud of you for admitting the mistake," Orgus said. "A lesser Padawan would've kept it a secret. Whatever feelings you have for that girl, bury them now. If you don't, they'll only bring you suffering."

"I understand, Master."

"Teeseven, watch over Bengel." Orgus took the Nautolan's lightsaber. "We must see what's happened to Padawan Yvisnusiish."

* * *

"Surrender. Please," Yvie said to Nalen.

"I'd forgotten... the smell of my own blood. I... I yield."

"Please," Allia said. "You're not going to kill him?"

"I won't kill him," Yvie said. "He can go to the Jedi Temple until his fate is decided."

"But we still lose him," Keth said. "The village needs Nalen's help. How are we going to keep it together?"

"Have hope. Kalikori village is greater than one man," Yvie told him. "You must find your own strength."

"Yes," Allia said. "We will."

"Well said, Padawan," Orgus said, climbing up the path.

"It's good to see you alive, Master Orgus," Yvie said.

"Yes," Allia and Keth echoed.

"And, Bengel Morr?" Yvie asked.

"In custody," Agenord said.

"And, the village?" Nalen asked.

"Safe for now," Agenord replied. "The flesh raiders are focused on the Jedi Temple."

"How can we help?" Keth asked.

Agenord told him, "Their army is held together by their war leaders and the Force sensitives Bengel Morr trained. Stop them, and the army will lose cohesion."

"We'll help," Allia said.

"All of us," Nalen added.

"Let's go," Orgus said. "The Jedi need us."

"Small hunter," Qyzen said to Yvie. "When our battle is ended, we must talk. Scorekeeper has seen. Chosen for greatest honor."

"Of course, Qyzen."

The others started down, but Yvie held back a bit with Agenord.

"What do you think of that?" she said.

"It was a very nice speech," he replied.

"I paid attention in class," she said. "My grades were always really good. I even learned my vows."

"I already told Master Orgus."

"Oh," she said with a sigh. "Fine. Well, I have my lightsaber now. Let's kill some flesh raiders."


	7. The Knight 3

Master Orgus sat at the Jedi Council table, his back straight but the strain of his injuries evident in his eyes. Masters Satele Shan, Yuon Par, Jaric Kaeden, and Syo Bakarn filled the other seats. Padawans Agenord and Yvisnusiish stood at the end of the long table, waiting for the Council's assessment of their work.

"The Flesh Raiders are still a threat," Master Orgus said with a steady voice. "But without Bengel's leadership, they'll be scattered and ill-equipped."

"This temple could've been devastated," Master Satele added. "The entire Order is in your debt, both of you."

"In a way," Agenord said. "Bengel Morr did save the Order. He proved we are still vulnerable to attack."

"Agreed," Master Satele replied. "And now we have concerns beyond the Flesh Raiders. Recent developments in the Twi'lek settlement demand a response."

"Their Matriarch, Ranna, betrayed me to Bengel," Orgus said. "Reports indicate she still leads the settlement."

"You know the Twi'leks," Master Satele said. "How do you recommend we proceed?"

"We should take charge of their settlement," Yvisnusiish said. "They obviously don't know what they're doing."

"Jedi don't govern others," Master Satele said. "That kind of power is too easily abused."

Agenord replied, "The Matriarch said it well. We ignored the settlement until the flesh raiders threatened us. If we had defied the Senate and helped them right away-"

"We might have detected Bengel Morr's influence earlier," Master Satele finished.

"Are you certain the Matriarch regrets her actions?" Master Orgus asked.

"Very certain," Agenord replied.

Master Jaric added, "It seems we have much to learn about the villagers."

"Perhaps Nalen can help us," Yvie said.

"I've been treating him," Master Satele said. "He'll recover from his injuries, but I'm worried about his mind."

"That's the stuff from the Fount," Yvisnusiish said.

"The Fount of Rajivari?" Master Yuon said. "You actually set foot there? Please, tell me everything!"

"Master Yuon," Master Satele said. "The settlement."

"Of course. My apologies."

Master Satele turned back to Yvisnusiish. "You've seen more of this than anyone. What should become of Nalen?"

"Train him as a Jedi," Yvie said. "He proved he has great strength in the Force."

"And he could help bring reconciliation with the villagers," Master Satele said. "Padawan Agenord, do you agree?"

"About Nalen, yes," Agenord said. "We could also buy their surplus renlah."

"Renlah?" Master Orgus asked.

"A Ryloth grain," Agenord replied. "A staple of the diet, mostly used for flat bread. I think most of us are a little tired of the Republic food packs."

"Of course," Master Jaric said. "We should have approached them about their crops from the beginning."

"You want gallab," Yvie said to Agenord.

"Ga...?" Master Orgus asked.

"Gallab," Agenord said. "It's a celebration treat made with renlah. It happens to be my favorite. But, they'll have fruits and vegetables soon. And, without the flesh raider attacks, they might be able to domesticate some uxibeasts."

"Support for protection," Master Satele said. "A wise course. Do you agree, Master Orgus?"

"It is said the wise forgive but do not forget," Master Orgus replied. "We have both made mistakes. We must both learn from them."

"Agreed," Master Satele said.

"Permit me to tell them of the Council's decision," Master Orgus said. "I can show them I'm safe and not angry. Besides, I need to get my lightsaber back."

"Very good," Master Satele said. "And, now, Padawans. You have done more than enough to prove yourselves and complete your trials. You are full Jedi now, both of you."

"It's about time," Yvie said.

Agenord rolled his eyes.

"Time for the real work, anyway," Master Orgus replied. "The two of you should come with me. The villagers would respect the word of an Onoka Jedi."

"We don't get _that_ much respect from our people," Agenord told him.

"They will respect you," Orgus said. "After Keth and Allia tell them what you've done."

"When you return from the village, you must go to Coruscant," Master Satele said. "Master Kiwiiks has requested assistance."

Agenord and Yvie nodded. The Masters stood and began to file out.

"Now!" Master Yuon said to Yvisnusiish. "Tell me about the Fount!"

"Well," Yvie said as they walked from the room. "Master Rajivari himself spoke to me. What was left of him."

"You saw a Force apparition?" Master Yuon said. "Of Rajivari? This is extraordinary!"

"Master Agenord," Master Satele said and waited for the others to leave. "How are you doing?"

"I don't really know yet," Agenord said. "War is coming, but I have to think it's more than that."

"Well," she said. "The Battlemasters said you were the best they ever trained. They don't give out praise easily."

"Let's hope their right."

She nodded and looked away, obviously thinking.

"Wondering how I would have done against him?" Agenord asked.

"Sometimes," she said. "But it doesn't matter. His time has ended. Your time..."

Agenord sighed. "My time has already begun."

* * *

Teeseven chirped and shook at the sight of Agenord.

"Ready to go?" Agenord asked.

Teeseven whistled.

"I really need to get a translator," Agenord said.

Orgus, Yvie and Qyzen waited near the top of the stairs to the Grand Hall.

"Your cousin tells me the Twi'lek are still holding their festival," Orgus said.

"They fought hard for this festival," Agenord replied. "They will mourn tomorrow."

"The Jedi will mourn with them," Orgus said. "Shall we go?"

"Wait," Qyzen hissed. "The battle is ended. Your kin is Herald of the Scorekeeper. Respect is owed."

Agenord said, "I know my cousin better than you."

"Agenord's right, Qyzen," Yvie said. "I don't care how he talks to me."

"Respect is owed," Qyzen said.

"Should I ask how you want to settle this?" Agenord said.

"Do not mock, little hunter."

"My apologies," Agenord said. "You fought well for us. I will honor your request."

They located an empty sparring platform. Agenord armed himself with a vibrosword, and Qyzen dialed his electrostaff down to a training level.

"To five?" Agenord asked.

Qyzen nodded, and the fight began. Twenty minutes later, the fight ended with the score five to nothing.

"You fought well," Agenord said. "You nearly hit me a couple of times."

Qyzen responded with a low growl.

"I meant to say, I am pleased so strong a hunter is protecting my cousin."

"These words I like," Qyzen said. "I will not interfere in matters of kin. Scorekeeper has spoken."

"Can we go now?" Yvie asked.

Agenord said, "You can go. I have something I need to do."

Orgus asked, "Is it that important?"

"I'll be leaving Tython soon. I just have a few things to finish up. Don't worry, I'll be there before the fireworks."

Teeseven chirped.

"Nothing to worry about," Agenord said. "Go with Master Orgus. You'll have more fun."

Teeseven whistled sadly and followed Master Orgus.

Agenord made his way down to the ancient cells of the temple, nodded politely at the guards, and walked to the cell holding Bengel Morr.

"Master Agenord," Bengel said. "Thank you for saving me and bringing me home. What can I do to repay you?"

Agenord leaned close and said in a low voice, "Why were you really going to the Forge?"

Bengel sighed. "It doesn't matter anymore."

"What did you mean by 'paths to power'?"

"A mistake," Bengel said. "Driven by despair. Forget it."

"I'm not here to destroy the Jedi," Agenord said. "Or to rebuild them. I'm here to protect them."

"The knowledge is dangerous."

Agenord shook his head. "Your purpose was dangerous."

"I found teachings of Gray Jedi, and Dark. Teachings I should forget."

"For the Dark teachings, I agree," Agenord told him. His ice blue eyes focused hard on the Nautolan's black orbs. "But, the Gray Jedi sought balance, not destruction. I don't believe it is wrong to embrace a larger view of the Force, if you do it for the right reasons."

"Is that the right path for Tython's hero?" Bengel asked.

"It is a choice," Agenord replied. "I fight a very dangerous enemy. If I must lose my soul to save the Republic, it is my soul to lose."

"Perhaps," Bengel said. "Perhaps this is why the Force spared me. Perhaps you _are_ the weapon I was sent to forge."

"I _will_ seek the knowledge with your help or without it. Besides, I might not find it to my liking."

"Perhaps. But, I owe you a debt." He leaned closer to Agenord. "I found a reference to a datacron hidden on Tython, but the clues led nowhere. Then Nalen told me something the apparition had told him. I realized the clues led to the Forge. You'll find a stone cover at the top. The datacron is deep below, beyond arm's reach. You must find it with the Force and hope it responds to you. Only then can you draw it out."

Agenord smiled. "That answered my next question. Do you know what knowledge it holds?"

"Methods of modifying your lightsaber that the Jedi would not recommend," Bengel said. "And combat techniques that the Jedi might consider to be... unnatural."

Agenord smiled again. "'Unnatural' depends greatly on your point of view."

The dark eyes regarded him. "A warrior so made cannot easily return to the world he has saved."

"But, the world is still saved."

Bengel sighed and nodded. "I will send what I know of other hidden datacrons, but then I am done. I will not fail Master Orgus twice."

Agenord nodded with respect and departed.

* * *

The scent of ale and grilled uxibeast met Agenord as he pulled his speeder into the village. Music played, but none of the Twi'lek danced. Peace, painfully earned, emanated from them as they rested in the calm after the storm. The injured and recovering were the most active, talking or laughing, proving to themselves they were still alive.

Orgus stood in a small group with Yvie, Ranna, the hunters and Nalen's companions. He smiled and nodded and examined his lightsaber.

"We didn't do anything with it," Moorint said. "We just held on to it."

"It might be a little dirty," Saylew added.

Master Orgus chuckled. "It's been dirty before." He attached it to his belt.

"We're very glad you're safe," Ranna told him. "And, we're glad it's-" She saw Agenord and stopped. "We're glad it's finally over."

"And the Jedi will be glad to get some fresh food," Master Orgus said.

"In exchange for medical supplies," Vederiat Ayon called out while examining the bandages of an injured hunter. "We need that most."

"No," Agenord said. "You need shield walls most. The flesh raiders are scattered for now, but we don't know how long it will last. Medical supplies are second."

Vederiat glared at him but agreed.

"Welcome back, Master Agenord," Ranna said. "I'm glad you're safe."

"We're all glad," Eseni added.

"Will you stay for the fireworks?" Ranna asked.

"Yes," Agenord said.

Master Orgus said, "Don't stay too late. You'll miss your shuttle."

"I'm taking a later shuttle," Agenord replied. "I have one more thing to do before I leave."

Master Orgus watched him.

"A personal quest," Agenord said. "Nothing else."

"Try not to quest _too_ much," Orgus replied.

Food and ale followed. The festival remained subdued but generally happy. Master Orgus departed early, citing the strain of his injuries. Yvie received a call just as the fireworks began.

"I have to go," she said. "I guess Master Yuon has collapsed or something. I have to find out what." She smiled at Agenord. "Try to be a good Jedi."

After Yvie and Qyzen left, Ranna said, "She's not really my idea of an Onoka."

"There are all kinds of Onoka," Agenord said.

They sat a way from the other villagers. The Jedi presence, though welcome, remained uncomfortable.

"I guess." Ranna moved a little closer to him. "I wanted to thank you for everything, and apologize for everything, and, maybe, say good-bye. If I could. Unless you have your quest."

"The quest requires daylight," Agenord replied.

"Oh." She moved closer. "What will you do until dawn?"

"You need to understand, Ranna," he said, "I can't stay on Tython."

"You can stay tonight."

He sighed. "I suppose I can."

* * *

Agenord woke before dawn the next morning. He slid from Ranna's grasp and began to dress. He sensed her wake to the noise, and sensed her disappointment.

"What did you mean?" she asked. "You 'can't' stay on Tython?"

He turned hard eyes on her. The scar between them gleamed in the morning light. "I can't stay on Tython," he said, hooking his lightsaber to his belt. "Because, I'm the only one that can kill my brother."


	8. The Assassin 2

The Twi'lek assassin sat deep in the shadows of a private booth on Vaiken Spacedock, watching Lord Mau'te and Vette. Khem Val sat next to her, silent and nearly invisible. For all his size, the Dashade possessed remarkable stealth skills, every bit the assassin he claimed to be. The Twi'lek wore a magnifier over one eye, less powerful than macrobinoculars but more than enough in this smaller space. She silently thanked the crowd. Dozens of women would be watching Mau'te. The assassin would be lost among them.

"Do I get to eat him, little Sith?" Khem whispered.

"He would tear you apart," she said without turning her eyes.

"I am not so easily killed," Khem said.

"You haven't seen him fight," the assassin replied. She zoomed in on her targets.

"Do we have to have one cabin?" Vette asked.

"I said I wouldn't do anything." He watched the departure board until the _Pathfinder_ appeared.

"I know. Just asking," Vette said. She adjusted her belt. "Thanks for giving me my pistols back."

"You're welcome," Mau'te said. "Turn around."

She turned her back to him. "So, anyway, Mister Sith Lord, sir-"

"You may call me Mau'te," he said.

"Right," she said. "So, I've been thinking. As a sign of thanks or whatever for my hard work-"

He removed her shock collar.

"Yes?" he asked.

She looked at the collar.

"Oh," he said. "Had a whole speech planned, didn't you?"

"That's the part that matters," she said.

"Would you like to keep it?" he asked.

"I never want to see it again."

He shrugged, sliced it in half with his lightsaber, and threw away the pieces.

"I want you to do some training when we get to Dromund Kaas. Your combat skills are a little weak. But, for now," he said, leaning close to her, "Keep your eyes open for your slave Sith Lord."

"She wasn't a slave," Vette said.

Mau'te gave her a curious look. "You said she had a slave's brand."

"She might have had a brand," Vette said, "But she was never a slave."

"Are you certain?" Mau'te asked.

"I was born a slave," Vette replied. "I know the look."

The assassin smiled. I like this girl.

Mau'te said, "We'll keep that to ourselves. One does not volunteer information on Dromund Kaas."

Vette nodded.

He told her, "You prove yourself valuable in the most unexpected ways."

"That was creepy," Vette said.

He sighed at her. "That was a compliment."

"A creepy compliment."

He stared at her.

"What?" she said.

He sighed again, and they departed, still arguing.

The assassin looked up at the list of departures. She and Khem could make the _Pathfinder_ , if they hurried.

"Time to go," she said, pulling up her hood and taking her luggage.

"As you wish," Khem said.

They moved through the corridors quickly, slipping past the crowd. The assassin scanned the other passengers and kept her mind on the near future. It wouldn't do to bump into Mau'te on the way. Fortunately, two Twi'lek stood out in a crowd like this. She shouldn't-

She stopped in front of one of the gates. The _Black Talon_ , a _Gage_ -class transport, en route to Dromund Kaas, prepared for departure.

"Your target awaits," Khem said.

She ignored him. Darkness and urgency called from the gate in front of her. She closed her eyes and reached out with the Force. Darkness and violence and opportunity awaited her on the _Black Talon_.

"This way," the assassin said.

Khem asked, "Do you abandon your target?"

"The destination is the same," she said. "We'll see him again on Dromund Kaas. But, you must learn something if you're to travel with me. When I have a vision, listen to it."

She walked toward the gate agent as a trickle of passengers boarded the ship. It took him a moment to register she was Sith, and she smiled politely once he did.

"Any cabins left?" she asked him.

"I don't believe so, m'Laydy," he said with a working-class inflection.

"Find me one," the assassin said.

"Of course, m'Laydy," he said. He tapped his communicator. "Gate 3, Ma'am. I have a Sith Lady here that wants a cabin. Yes, sorry, Ma'am, Sith _Lord_. Yes, Ma'am, I'll tell her. Lieutenant Sylas is on her way down, m'Laydy."

The assassin nodded to him and waited, ignoring his nervousness. After a few minutes, an officer exited the gate with a cautious expression.

"My Lady," she said. "Lieutenant Sylas, ship's Executive Officer. We don't get a lot of Sith Lords aboard the _Talon_. Any particular reason you've chosen us?"

"Yes," the assassin said in a soft voice.

"Right. And you are?"

The assassin smiled politely. "The apprentice of Darth Zash."

Sylas paled a bit. "Oh. Darth Zash. I do hope your business is on Dromund Kaas."

"Yes. Let's hope."

"And, your companion?" Sylas asked.

"Obviously," the assassin said, "He's my chiropractor."

"Of course," Sylas said. "If you'll follow me, we'll get you a cabin straight away."

Sylas displaced two officers for her. The assassin promised to thank them later. Cramped, but it had two beds. Khem couldn't fit either of them, but he'd have to make do. A distant sound and a vibration in the deck told her they'd detached from Vaiken. A softer vibration a short time later meant the engines engaged. A ship this size would take about five minutes to exit the traffic lanes. She waited for the sublight engines to disengage, took a deep breath, and pinched her nose. The _Talon_ entered hyperspace, and the assassin expelled the air softly. Her ears always popped in hyperspace.

"Why are we here, little Sith?" Khem asked.

"I don't know yet," she replied.

"Will I fight?"

"You will," she told him.

"Then I am pleased." He sat on one of the beds, crossed his legs, and appeared to meditate.

The assassin sat at one of the desks and took the components of her lightsaber from her luggage.

"Your master told you to wait," Khem said without opening his eyes.

"I assure you, she will forgive me."

Double bladed sabers were the tradition for assassins, especially those trained by Zash. Less effective against blasters or a single opponent, but more effective against multiple opponents with lightsabers, they were designed to kill enemy Force sensitives. Stealth and strategy, rather than brute force, got you past the more common hurdles. Four lenses, two power cells, twice the time, but, if one side was damaged, the other would still function. The diagnostics finished without trouble. She stood, held the weapon at arm's length, and ignited both red blades.

"It suits you, little Sith," Khem said, his eyes still closed.

She deactivated the weapon. "Good to know."

Two days to get to Dromund Kaas. Plenty of time for something interesting. She sat on the other bed, crossed her legs and began to meditate.

* * *

Twelve hours later, she practiced with the deactivated hilt in an open area, learning the weight and feel of it. Khem watched with a critical eye but offered no instruction. The crew and other passengers gave her a wide berth. She dropped low and stabbed at the air.

"You don't have much height," an instructor told her once. "Use it to your advantage. Get under their guard."

She pulled back into a defensive stance, and felt the ship drop from hyperspace.

Opportunity, she thought.

"Khem," she said. "We'll be needed on the bridge."

She was almost to the elevator, when she caught sight of Lieutenant Sylas.

"My Lady," the lieutenant said. "I hate to trouble you. Would you..." She lowered her voice. "Would you come to the bridge with me?"

"I was already on my way," the assassin said. "To thank your crew."

"Very good. And your... chiropractor?"

"Khem. Yes. He's _wonderful_ at snapping necks."

"I believe that, Ma'am," Sylas said.

Once they were in the elevator, the assassin said, "Tell me what it is."

"We're being ordered to attack a Republic battleship, Ma'am."

"Any reason why?"

"Something about a passenger."

On the bridge, she saw a man she took to be the captain speaking to someone in a Moff's uniform by holocommunicator. Outwardly, she ignored the crew, but their fear saturated her, got her own blood pumping. Good. She might need it. The captain appeared tense but in control. That was not bravado. He had battle experience. However, the Moff, correction, Grand Moff, looked like a complete bastard.

"My Lady," the captain said. "Captain Revinal Orzik, commander of the _Black Talon_ , at your service."

"You actually had a Sith Lord on board," the Grand Moff said. "I thought you were lying." He turned to the assassin. "I am Grand Moff Rycus Kilran, commander of the Fifth Fleet, second to the Minister of War, and-my personal favorite-"

"The Butcher of Coruscant," the assassin finished.

"My reputation precedes me. To whom am I speaking?"

"The apprentice of Darth Zash."

"Wonderful!" Kilran said. "Someone with your skills will be useful. Six hours ago, the Republic engaged in an illegal border skirmish on the edges of Imperial territory. One enemy warship escaped. That warship-the _Brentaal Star_ -is carrying a passenger of vital strategic importance. Yours is the only vessel placed to intercept."

"Who exactly is this passenger?" the assassin asked.

"We don't know his identity, but the Republic believes he possesses military secrets-our military secrets. I trust the reports; he must be captured or killed. But, Captain Orzik doesn't share my enthusiasm. He's disobeyed my orders to attack." Kilran looked at Orzik. "Feel free to show him what the Empire does to cowards."

"How would I manage that?" she asked. "You're lightyears away."

The bridge crew stared at her in horror.

"I beg your pardon?" Kilran said to her.

"You're asking a group of civilians and barely trained officers to clean up your mess," the assassin said. "Perhaps you're right. That's not cowardice; that's incompetence."

Kilran looked at her like a nexu that stumbled upon a dangerous prey. "Commandeer this ship, find the _Brentaal Star_ , and deal with the passenger."

"I didn't say I wouldn't," she told him. "But, I suspect Captain Orzik has combat experience. I'll have a better chance of success if he remains in command."

Kilran smiled at her. "Darth Zash is always very particular about her apprentices," he said. "And she generally has good taste. I'll trust you _this_ time. Kilran out."

The holo switched off.

"My Lady-" Orzik began.

"Don't make me regret it, Captain. Order the passengers to their cabins, tell your crew to prepare for combat, and lay in a course for the _Brentaal Star_."

"Yes, my Lady," Orzik said and began directing his crew.

"Can I eat him, little Sith?" Khem asked, looking at the holocommunicator.

"He's not Force sensitive," she said.

"Sometimes, I don't mind."

The _Talon_ entered hyperspace, and she hid a smile by popping her ears.

* * *

An hour later, Orzik told her, "We're ready, my Lady."

"You made the right choice, Captain. You'd have been executed when we reached Dromund Kaas."

"But, my crew would survive," he said.

She looked at him. "You don't sound like a coward," the assassin said.

"I fought in the war before, and I'll fight again, but this is a suicide mission."

"I'm not looking to make a martyr of anyone."

"I expect you believe that," he told her. "I see it differently."

"The _Talon_ has the same superstructure as a _Terminus_ -class destroyer," she said. "Fewer weapons but the same shields and armor. Am I right?"

He sighed. "I might be able to get us close-but then you'd have to board the _Brentaal Star_ , fight an army of Republic soldiers and somehow find this passenger."

"You worry about getting me back," she said. "I'll worry about the passenger."

"Emerging from hyperspace now," the helmsman said. "One _Thranta_ -class warship on the scanners."

The communications officer called out, "Enemy is firing! Turbolasers, missiles-and what looks like transport pods."

"Evasive maneuvers," Orzik said. "Keep the pods at a distance. They'll latch onto the hull and cut at us with sabotage droids."

"Aye, sir," the helmsman replied. "Evasive maneuvers."

The communications officer said, "Sir, three shuttles on an intercept course!"

"An assault party," Sylas said.

"Combat droids," Orzik corrected. "They want to disable us so they can get away. They don't want to leave their crew behind."

"We don't have sufficient defenses to keep them from landing," Sylas said.

The captain looked at the assassin, back at the fight, and at the assassin again. He was right. She hadn't proven herself yet.

"Let them land," the assassin said. "I can handle the droids."

Orzik nodded. "Lieutenant," he said to one of his marines. "You and your men will accompany our guest to the shuttle bay."

"Aye, sir," the marine replied.

In the elevator, the lieutenant said, "We're all grateful for what you did for the captain, Ma'am."

"I'm not about to kill our most experienced soldier right before a battle."

"Yes, Ma'am," he said. "Probably kept us all alive doing that."

The other marines nodded.

"Very good," she said, taking her lightsaber from her belt. "Now, it's your turn to keep me alive." The elevator doors opened, and she ignited one of the blades and ran at the invaders.

* * *

"Fought like a nexu, she did, sir," the lieutenant said to Orzik. "Droids didn't stand a chance."

"Your men did very well, Captain," the assassin said.

"How many did we lose?" Orzik asked the marine.

"Two, sir," he said. "Three more in sick bay. Some of us are injured, but we can still fight."

"When will we be in position?" the assassin asked the captain.

"Soon enough," the captain replied.

"We'd be glad to accompany you again, Ma'am," the marine said.

"Do you have stealth skills?" she asked.

"Uh, no, Ma'am."

"Then you won't be an asset," she told him. "Get me there, and get me back. That's all I need."

The marine nodded.

"Damage report," Orzik said to the helmsman.

"We're holding together, sir-but I don't know for how long."

The communications officer called out, "Transmission coming in!"

"The _Brentaal Star_ wants to negotiate?" Sylas said.

"No, Ma'am," the ensign said. "Long range."

"Put it through," the assassin said. This might be interesting.

A woman appeared on the holo. "This is Jedi Grand Master Satele Shan hailing unidentified Imperial vessel."

The assassin suppressed a smile. Opportunity indeed.

"I'm en route to your location with sixteen Republic vessels," the Jedi continued. "I'm asking you to retreat before more lives are lost."

"Grand Master Satele Shan," the assassin said, stepping forward. "It is a pleasure, truly. Your actions during the war were legendary."

The Grand Master considered her. "And you are?"

"A Sith Lord, and I know what's on that ship."

"The _Brentaal Star_ is under my protection," Shan said. "I just crippled three Imperial dreadnaughts. I don't wish to destroy you-the peace between Republic and Empire is fragile enough already."

"I have no intention of starting the war today, Grand Master," the assassin said with a smile. "I have too much to do, and things are looking so _promising_ for me."

"Your base aggression serves no one-not even your Empire," Shan said. "I wonder if _any_ Sith can be saved."

"There are degrees of salvation, but I am focused on _success_."

"I won't be drawn into a philosophical debate," the Jedi replied.

"Pity. I would have enjoyed that."

"You've made your intent clear," Shan said. "But I suggest you prepare to face a Jedi-and you may want to consider what that means."

"It depends on the Jedi, doesn't it?" the assassin said, her eyes alight with expectation.

Master Satele narrowed her eyes. "I assure you, Yadira is one of our best."

The assassin shrugged. "I guess I don't need to hold back."

"Leave the _Brentaal Star_ to me. If you don't-" The Grand Master considered the Sith carefully. "May the Force be with you."

The transmission ended.

"I thought that went well," the assassin said. "Status, please."

"Entering fighter range," the helmsman said. "The _Brentaal Star_ is launching its first squadron."

"It's time for us to do the same," Orzik said. "My Lady, we'll be in range by the time you get to the shuttle bay."

"Excellent, Captain," she replied. "Getting through the ship will be difficult. Getting back with a prisoner will be nearly impossible. Therefore, I will steal one of their escape pods and pilot it toward the _Talon_. Have your shuttle grab it with a docking clamp."

"Yes, my Lady," Orzik said. "I don't usually say this to a Sith Lord, but it's been an honor."

"Thank-you, Captain, but we're not done yet. Khem, we have things to break."

* * *

"Are you sure, my Lady?" the marine said. "Just fire a bit and leave?"

"Quite sure," she said. "Distract them for me, something with a lot of smoke. Once we're out of their sight, they'll never see us again."

"I understand, my Lady, but it's a Republic ship."

"Not to worry," she said. "Imperial Intelligence has quite a few files on Republic ships. I've borrowed a few of them."

The fighters cut a hole in the Republic defenses, and the shuttle pilot flew through the center of it. The marines lined up at the port hatch, and the assassin and Khem waited next to the starboard hatch. Everyone clung to handles along the bulkhead.

"This is it!" the pilot yelled.

The shuttle hit the bay deck with a jolt and scraped to a stop. The marines filed out and started firing on entrenched Republic troops. After a few explosions sounded, one the marines nodded to the assassin. She and Khem exited the hatch and ran through the smoke behind a wall of equipment. She closed her eyes and scanned the possible exits for her best chance. Another group of explosions hit, and she and Khem ran to the corridor. A trooper nearly spotted them, but she clouded his mind and ran on. She and Khem slipped into the first maintenance area they could find and waited while more troops ran past in the corridor.

So far, so good. The shuttle bay was amidships. Primary defense would be towards the bow, but they wanted to slow down the attackers, specifically, a Sith Lord. They wanted heavy reinforcement, thick doors. They'd have the passenger in the engines and defended by droids more than troops. She opened her mind to the Force, let it guide her to the best place and time to move, and she and Khem started out.

Stealth and caution got them past most of their obstacles. The Republic troops prepared for a frontal assault. The assumption left their minds open to suggestion. Even so, she nearly lost control when she had to confuse eight at once. She and Khem had to wait in a maintenance alcove for her headache to pass.

No time, she told herself. No time.

Bypassing the droids required more mundane stealth. Fortunately, combat droid subroutines focused on strategy and obvious targets. The assassin was grateful the Republic hadn't included security droids in the mix.

Finally, she and Khem reached the hatch to the engine room. Two walker droids protected it, and stealth couldn't handle them. She identified a nearby crate small enough for her to move. She reached out, and it flew at the nearest droid. Both fired on it, but the crate struck the droid, dropping it's shields for a moment. The assassin started running as soon as the crate moved, and stabbed her lightsaber into the droid's processor when it's shields dropped. Khem attacked the second droid, overcharging his vibrosword and hitting fast and often. The repeated strikes weakened the shields enough for the assassin to break through and destroy the other processor. Immediately, the assassin turned back, closed the blast doors, and destroyed the controls. Once the droids were offline, the Republic troops would know their location. She returned to the engine room door, pried open the control panel, and sliced the system.

Too slow, she thought. Sith should use astromech droids like the Republic.

The door opened, and they found a group of combat droids and the promised Jedi. A corridor nearby could only lead to escape pods.

"Halt where you are," the Jedi said. "I am Yadira Ban, Padawan of the Jedi Order. I was sent to protect the general, and you will not pass."

"Surely you're joking," the assassin said.

"A Jedi does not surrender the innocent into the hands of evil," Yadira said.

"He's an Imperial general. They're not known for 'innocence'."

"Even so, I intend to drive you back-meter by meter, if need be. Just as the Republic pushed the Sith Empire into the dark of the galaxy!"

The assassin stared. "Is this just you, or do the Jedi teach a class in long-winded speeches?"

"Enough!" Yadira said. "I will not fall to one such as you. I will not!"

Yadira jumped at the assassin while the droids swarmed over Khem. The assassin ignited a single blade and blocked the attack. For all her bravado, Yadira was terrified. Her strikes were quick, almost desperate. She fought well but without strategy. At an opportune moment, the assassin ignited her second blade and cut the emitter from Yadira's saber. The Padawan jumped back in shock, landing in front of the blast doors. The assassin held up her hand and pushed the Padawan through the doors, slamming Yadira into a stack of crates with a crunch. The assassin moved the switch for the doors, closing them, and destroyed the panel with lightning.

Khem finished off the last of the droids and snarled at her.

"I was going to eat her, little Sith!"

"I'll buy you a fruit cup when we get back to the _Talon_."

She and Khem ran into the corridor, and Republic troops fired on them from the far end. The assassin blocked the blaster fire, and swung her hand in the air like a slap. The troopers were slammed into the bulkheads, knocking them out.

They reached the escape pods, and a voice said, "You can put aside your weapons. I won't try to run. I doubt I'd make it to an escape pod on my own anyway."

"How were you injured?" the assassin asked.

"Caught in your ship's attack," the general told her. "I'm told the wounds aren't fatal, but that doesn't help the pain."

She opened the nearest escape pod.

"Get in," the assassin said. "A shuttle will clamp onto us and take us to the _Black Talon_."

Khem lifted the general into the pod while the man winced and cried out in pain. He settled into a seat, sweating and gasping for air. Khem took a seat across from him, and seemed to forget the general was there. The assassin stepped in, switched the pod to manual control, and pulled the release lever.

"I was a general in the Imperial military service," he gasped. "Did they tell you that when they sent you here? Did they even know?"

"I figured it out along the way," she said. "Kilran might have known, but he didn't mention it."

"Kilran?" the general laughed. "Of course. He would have the gall to send a transport to take on a warship-and succeed."

"I wouldn't call it gall," she said. "And, I don't recall seeing him during the fight."

"The mark of a true leader," the general said.

A docking clamp locked onto them with a heavy jolt.

"Only get your hands as dirty as necessary," the general finished. "If you knew what I knew, you'd understand why I did it. If you'd heard what both sides are plotting, you wouldn't be eager to restart this war." He clung to his chest and gasped for air. "It will be unlike anything the galaxy's seen since the Great Hyperspace War. And it's too late to stop it-the so-called peace is already lost."

"Peace is a lie," the assassin said. "The Sith know this."

"So be it. We're all as good as dead, anyway." He swallowed hard. "They're building doomsday weapons. Shields that-"

"I don't care about your toys, General," she told him. "I care about the war. And the Sith."

"As cold as the rest of your kind."

She looked away from him. "So I've been told."

The shuttle slowed to a halt, the docking clamp released, and the pod dropped to the deck. The general groaned and nearly passed out. The pod door opened, and the marine lieutenant stuck his head in.

"My Lady," he said. "Glad it's you. Is that him?"

"It is," the assassin said. "Tell Orzik to get us out of here as soon as possible, and get our guest a medic."

"Yes, Ma'am, they're recalling the fighters now."

The assassin and Khem exited the pod so the medics could do their work. One of them stopped her as she was leaving.

"Any injuries?" he asked.

"Bumps and bruises," she said.

"And your... companion?"

"He's just hungry."

Khem growled a little but said nothing. He continued watching her in the elevator.

"I'm sorry you couldn't feed," she said to him.

"I thought you used stealth too much," he said, his face and aura unreadable. "I thought it cowardice, but you do not run when the fight has begun." A strange expression crossed his face that might have been a smile, or half a dozen other things. "I will have other chances to feed."

On the bridge, Captain Orzik called out commands, clearing one emergency after another. Combat experience, indeed. She'd wondered if he'd been demoted. Now, she was sure he hadn't. He hated the war as much as the general.

"Sylas, injury reports."

"Ten crew dead, twenty-two wounded."

"Passengers?" he asked.

"Thirteen injured, no fatalities."

He nodded. "Hetter?" he said to the helmsman.

"Course laid in, sir. Ready on your command."

"Brukarra?" Orzik said to the communications officer. "Fighters?"

"Last two coming in, Captain," she said, watching her screen. The bridge waited in silence. "That's it, sir. They're docked."

"Hetter!"

"Aye, sir!"

The engines powered up, and the ship punched into hyperspace. The assassin popped her ears, and waited on the captain.

"My Lady," he said, finally noticing her. "I hope this was worth it."

"You need to ask Kilran that question, but I doubt you'll like his answer."

"I suspect you're right," the captain said.

"Sir," Lieutenant Sylas said. "He did expect a report."

"Quite so. Ensign Brakurra."

"Aye, sir. Connecting to Grand Moff Kilran."

"Well," Kilran said. "How fortunate I could reach my friends aboard the _Black Talon_."

Orzik twitched but maintained his composure.

"How did the attack go?" Kilran asked.

"The general has been captured," the assassin said. "He'll be in your hands soon."

"Excellent," Kilran said with a smile. "I'll let Korriban and Imperial Intelligence fight over him."

"There was a lot of blood shed today, Kilran," the assassin said. "I hope it was worth it."

"Oh, I'm quite certain it was. Blood is cheap, after all."

She fixed her eyes on him. "I couldn't agree more."

"You should be proud. This is only one of many-"

"I'm sure it is," she said.

Kilran smiled at her again, remembering the dangerous prey. "I'll make sure your heroism is mentioned when I report to the other Moffs."

"I understand you have the favor of the Emperor," she said with a smile.

"I do," he replied.

"Try not to lose it." She turned to Brukarra. "End transmission."

"My Lady-" Orzik began.

"I'm very tired, Captain. I shall be returning to my cabin."

The captain snapped to attention and saluted her. The bridge crew followed his example. She nodded to them graciously and departed.

"Little Sith," Khem said. "What is a 'fruit cup'?"

"A small cup filled with fruit."

"Oh. Of course. I will need thirty."

She stifled a laugh. "I'll see that you get them."

Back in her cabin, she was about to relax when Darth Zash contacted her.

"Master," she said.

"Apprentice," Darth Zash began. "Did you threaten Grand Moff Kilran?"

"I was aiming more for impending malice with an undercurrent of distaste."

Zash sighed. "Moffs do not understand subtlety."

"Terribly sorry."

"It's quite all right. Kilran needs a good threatening once in a while. I see you've built your lightsaber."

"I had a hunch I'd need it."

Zash smiled. "Precognitives make the best assassins."

"So you've said."

"You've been tested earlier than I expected, apprentice, but you've done well. I will see you on Dromund Kaas. Zash out."

Khem poured six fruit cups into his mouth at once and swallowed. "Do I get to eat that one?"

"Not yet," the assassin said, lying down on her bed. "I need her for a little while."

He swallowed six more fruit cups. "Then, I will wait."

The assassin laid back and fell asleep.


	9. The Agent 1

"Did you get robbed?" Kaliyo asked, walking into the agent's apartment.

"I'm a minimalist," the Twi'lek woman replied. Tall, dark blue and athletic, her movements were as minimal and precise as her decor.

"This isn't minimalist," Kaliyo said. "This is empty-ist. I've seen prison cells with more furniture."

"I focus on work, not trivialities," the agent replied. She deposited her luggage in a corner of her living room. The remainder of the room contained two chairs, a small table, a holocommunicator, and some exercise equipment.

"I usually like that about you." She opened a tinted glass door and walked onto the balcony. "Where's my place again?"

"You don't have one yet," the agent replied. "But, independent contractors are there, in the Mercenaries Tower. Show them the identification, and they will find you a place."

"Which one is the Intelligence Tower?"

"That one," she said, joining Kaliyo on the balcony. "That's the Sith Tower, and that's the Mandalorian Tower."

"Right next to the mercenaries," Kaliyo said. "I like being close to hunky bounty hunters."

"I'm glad you found a way to keep busy."

Kaliyo smiled in a knowing way. "I'm not tired yet. Let's find a couple of bounty hunters that'll last the night."

"I have some work to do," the agent replied, leaving the balcony.

"Are you sure? I wanted to see some of those agent seduction skills."

"Not tonight. Sorry."

Kaliyo shrugged. "More for me, I guess. See you tomorrow."

The Rattataki left, and the agent waited until she heard the elevators open and close.

"Show yourself," she said.

"Impressive," said a voice in the darkness. "Most Sith can't detect me."

"Sith rely too much on Mind Trick for stealth. We're trained to resist it. You need to practice your mundane skills." She looked towards the shadows that concealed the speaker and reached for her vibroknife. "Who are you?"

The assassin stepped into the light. "Have I really changed so much?"

The agent gasped. "Yes. You have. Why are you _here_?"

"I had a vision," the assassin said. "And, I need your help."

The agent's eyes widened. "You _have_ changed. What do you need?"

"I need you to train a Twi'lek girl, in your off hours."

The agent tilted her head, watching the assassin carefully. "What Twi'lek girl?"

"Her name is Vette."

"That's not a Twi'lek name."

"She's a former slave," the assassin continued. "And a street thief from Nar Shaddaa."

"What is she to you?" the agent asked.

The assassin took a breath and let it out. "She's working with Mau'te."

The agent exhaled through clenched teeth. "You expect me to help _him_?"

The assassin glared at the agent. "This is no time for your personal issues."

"That personal issue is my _sister_!"

"And you have a job to do."

"Sorry," the agent said with a sneer. "I forgot who I was talking to."

"I'm not asking you to work with Mau'te. Just train the girl."

"Fine. How?"

"Combat, stealth, slicing, anything else you can think of," the assassin told her. "I want her ready. I want her to survive."

"Tell me why." The agent stared hard at the assassin.

"She's good for him," the assassin said.

"Why would I care?"

"You know what he is."

The agent laughed, bitter and painful. "Of course. He's the _center_ of your vision."

"He's half of it," the assassin said.

"Right. How could I forget?"

"You'll probably like her," the assassin said. "If that helps."

"It doesn't."

"Well, you'll like her anyway."

The agent looked toward the Sith Tower. "How strong is he now?"

"I doubt killing both of us would count as a challenge."

"I thought you would get stronger."

"I did," the assassin said. "He got much stronger much faster."

"Of course he did."

"Who's your friend?" the assassin asked.

"Kaliyo," the agent said. "Independent contractor. Loyal to the most money or the most entertaining. I'm both at the moment."

"Is she hiding anything?"

"I don't know. She might get upset if I looked."

"I'll look for you," the assassin said. "But, I won't tell you unless it's serious."

"That'll work."

"I trust you, you know," the assassin told her.

"That doesn't help either," the agent replied. "If you'll excuse me, I need to punch things."

The assassin shrugged. "I'll let myself out."


	10. The Trooper 1

"Is this really necessary?" Ambassador Asara asked First Officer Haken. They stood at the security exit for the _Esseles_ , and waited while the passenger bridge to Coruscant Space Dock maneuvered into place.

"I doubt it, Ambassador," Haken said. "But, you'll have to take that up with General Garza. Or her escort detail."

"An escort detail?" Asara asked.

"The Republic's best, ma'am."

The bridge locked into place, and a crewman opened the door for the Ambassador. Two Republic troopers waited at the far end of the bridge, a tall, dark blue Twi'lek man with scars covering half his face and a stern looking Cathar. Once Asara exited the bridge, the Twi'lek trooper stepped forward and saluted.

"Ambassador Asara?" the trooper said. "Lieutenant Cyr'rnin Onoka, Sergeant Aric Jorgan, Havok Squad. We are here to escort you to the Senate."

Oh, that's a woman, Asara thought. That is a sturdy looking woman.

"Did you say 'Onoka'?" the Ambassador asked.

"Yes, ma'am, that Onoka," the lieutenant replied.

"Then you'd know my rescuers," Asara said.

"Rescuers, ma'am?" the trooper asked.

"Hello, Cyr'rnin," Agenord said, exiting the security bridge behind the Ambassador.

The lieutenant gasped. "Master Agenord," she said in a voice like a star struck girl.

"' _Master_ Agenord'," he said. "We grew up together."

"You're a Jedi," she said. "It wouldn't be proper."

Agenord rolled his eyes. "Who's your friend?"

"Sergeant Aric Jorgan, sir," Jorgan said.

"Good to meet you," Agenord said. "Keep my cousin safe."

"Will do, sir," Jorgan replied.

"You built your lightsaber," Cyr'rnin said to Agenord. "You're a full Jedi now. It looks just like your sketch." She stared at it a moment. "Did you use a variable frequency beam modulator?"

Agenord sighed. "It gave me a shorter ignition time."

"But it makes the blade less stable," Cyr'rnin complained.

"So, I added a second collimating ring to the emitter."

"But that'll add extra weight to the emitter!"

"So, I moved the control box to the pommel. It's perfectly balanced, see?" He balanced the saber on the edge of his hand.

"Yeah, I guess."

"I needed the shorter ignition time," Agenord said.

"I believe that," Cyr'rnin said. She looked at him hopefully. "Is it blue?"

"Orange," he replied.

"Orange! Blue is traditional."

"I like orange."

"Yeah, you do," Cyr'rnin sighed. "Oh, Ambassador, you said 'rescuers'?" She looked at Agenord. "Is it Master Kriranda?"

"No," Agenord said cautiously.

"Cyr'rnin!" a male Twi'lek yelled from the bridge. He ran to Cyr'rnin and hugged her.

"Hello, Xal," the lieutenant said with a sigh.

"Hello, little sister!"

She sighed again. "I'm two centimeters taller than you, Xal."

He stepped back with a smile. "Fine. Baby sister! How are you doing?"

She groaned at him. "I'm doing just fine, Xal."

"Do I really deserve that?"

"My drill instructor."

"Yeah," he said. "I'll give you that one."

"What are you doing on the _Esseles_ anyway?" Cyr'rnin asked. "What happened to your ship?"

"Someone stole it and brought it to Coruscant."

"Why would someone bring a stolen ship to Coruscant?" she asked.

"I will ask him that right before I shoot him."

"And you actually helped rescue the Ambassador?"

He shrugged. "Mostly I stood next to Agenord while he did the rescuing."

"I believe that," Cyr'rnin said.

"No!" Asara said. "Your brother could have turned me over to the Imperials to save himself. He didn't. He was very heroic, and I'm very grateful to him."

Cyr'rnin looked at the Ambassador for a moment then said to her brother, "You slept with the Ambassador!"

"It was her idea," he said.

"Ambassador, on behalf of the family, I'd like to apologize for anything my brother may have said or done."

"No apology needed," Asara said.

Agenord stifled a laugh.

"Nevertheless," Cyr'rnin said. "I would like to make clear that Xaldiba is not representative of the rest of the family."

"She's got you there," Agenord said to Xal.

"Will you be accompanying us to the Senate, Captain?" Asara asked.

"I'm not really a Senate kind of person," Xaldiba said.

"Don't worry about it," Agenord said. "Teeseven has everything recorded."

The droid beeped enthusiastically, happy to be noticed.

"Very well," Asara said. "Captain, it was a considerable pleasure."

"Ambassador-" Xaldiba began.

Corso Riggs nudged the Captain in the ribs.

"Oh, right," Xaldiba said. "Cyr'rnin, my First Mate, Corso Riggs."

"Mister Riggs," Cyr'rnin said. "It's a pleasure."

"Yes, ma'am," Corso said, his eyes fixed on Cyr'rnin.

"They're just scars, Mister Riggs," she said.

"Ma'am?"

"You're staring at my scars, Mister Riggs."

"Weren't the scars, ma'am," he replied. "That's not what I meant! I meant, I'm sorry if I was staring, ma'am. Is what I meant."

"They're just scars," she said.

"Weren't the scars, ma'am."

"Corso," Xaldiba said. "Are you having inappropriate thoughts about my sister?"

"They ain't inappropriate at all, Captain," Corso said. "That's not what I meant! I meant, if I was going to have thoughts about your sister, Captain, they'd be upstanding thoughts, is what I meant. They'd be right proper thoughts, is what I'm saying."

"Yeah," Xaldiba said. "Say, Agenord, could you maybe, possibly mind trick customs a teensy bit before you go?"

"I have every faith in your resourcefulness, Xal," Agenord said.

"You're an asshole, Agenord," Xal said.

"As long as you know it," he replied.

Xal watched them leave. "Plan besh, Corso."

"How do you pronounce your sister's name, Captain?"

"Customs, Corso."

"Captain?"

"We can't see her if we don't get through customs."

"Oh, right," Corso said. "Let's go do that."

* * *

At the landing pad, they watched as a Republic transport buzzed into place. The side hatch opened, and a Togruta trooper climbed out. The group moved swiftly to the transport with Cyr'rnin and Sergeant Jorgan flanking the Ambassador. After salutes and introductions, Jorgan and the trooper helped Asara aboard the transport.

The trooper turned back and said, "We didn't hear anything about a Jedi."

"He was on the _Esseles_ with me," Asara said. "He's the one that rescued me, and his droid has everything recorded."

"Yes, ma'am," the trooper said. "Welcome aboard, Master Jedi."

Once they were in the air, Asara said, "Master Agenord, is Captain Xaldiba-" She looked at Cyr'rnin. "Really that bad?"

"He has good moments and bad," Agenord said.

Cyr'rnin looked at him but didn't say anything.

"It's best to get out while you still like him," Agenord continued. "He doesn't want children, and he will find a way to piss you off, especially if you're Twi'lek."

"That's too bad," Asara said. "He was more heroic than he gave himself credit for."

"I know," Agenord said. "But, he doesn't like people to know that."

"It's too bad," she said again and looked away with a faint smile.

"Lieutenant," Jorgan said. "What did you mean by 'that Onoka'?"

Asara said, "The Onoka are one of the strongest Force sensitive families on Ryloth."

"I like to think we are _the_ strongest Force sensitive family on Ryloth," Cyr'rnin said. "Most races in the Republic have one or two families that are strong in the Force," she told the Sergeant. "For the Cathar, it is the Hnilo family."

"I've heard of them," Jorgan said.

"For the Twi'lek, it is the Onoka," Cyr'rnin continued. "Our family has produced at least one Jedi every generation for the last eight-hundred and twenty-three years."

"What about the Securas?" Asara asked.

Agenord hid a smile.

"Well," Cyr'rnin said. "The Securas are strong; that is true. However, the odds of an Onoka being Force sensitive is one in six. The odds of a Secura being Force sensitive is one in nine. Although, they do compensate for that with a larger family."

Agenord suppressed a laugh.

Cyr'rnin said, "They do like to say they have had more members on the Jedi Council, which is technically correct, however, they have also had more scholars and instructors. The Onoka have had more field Jedi. But, they are a very honorable and respectable family, and a very worthy second-place."

Agenord suppressed another laugh.

"You have my vote," Asara said. "After witnessing Master Agenord in action."

"I certainly believe that," Cyr'rnin said, looking at Agenord with pride. "Master Agenord is the strongest Onoka ever tested. By a considerable degree."

Agenord shrugged, a little uncomfortable with the declaration.

"Didn't you mention another one, ma'am?" Jorgan asked.

"Yes!" Cyr'rnin said. "Master Kriranda. How is she?"

"No idea," Agenord said. "The Council sent me to train with the Battlemasters for five years. When I got back, she was gone."

"Did the Council say where she went?" Cyr'rnin asked.

"They didn't, and they won't," Agenord said. "But, it's Kriranda. It must be _something_ important."

Asara and Jorgan looked at him.

"I might be the strongest Onoka tested," Agenord said. "But Kriranda is the smartest. The Council would never waste that much potential."

Cyr'rnin said, "I must agree with my cousin on that."

"Senate Building," the pilot called out.

"Lieutenant, Sergeant," Asara said. "Thank you, and I'm sorry for the trouble."

"No trouble at all, Ambassador," Cyr'rnin said. "We had just arrived at the spaceport ourselves. Besides, I got to see my cousin Agenord."

"And Xal," Agenord said.

"Technically," Cyr'rnin replied.

"He does love you," Agenord told her.

Cyr'rnin nodded. "I will say that much about Xaldiba. He does care about family."

The transport settled onto its landing pad.

After she exited the transport, Asara said, "He really did risk his life for me."

Cyr'rnin looked at Agenord and back to Asara. "I believe you, Ambassador. Xaldiba can be frustrating, but he does have the occasional good moment. Now, if you'll follow me."

Once inside the building, Senate security took over, and Cyr'rnin and Sergeant Jorgan left to report to General Garza.

"I like her," Asara said.

"She's a little severe when it comes to family," Agenord said. "But she's one of the best people I know."

"Can I ask where she got the scars?" Asara said.

"That's not something we talk about. Sorry."

"Quite all right," she said. "Thank you for saving me twice, by the way."

"Twice?"

She nodded toward Teeseven. "I hate these debriefings."

"Are you attacked often?" Agenord asked.

Asara said, "I've been attacked a few times, but never with such determination."

"Oh."

"'Oh' indeed," she said. "But, the Republic has the strongest Onoka ever protecting it. I'm sure we'll do fine."

Agenord sighed and said, "Let's hope."

* * *

"These missions are critical, Lieutenant," General Garza said, concluding her briefing. "Our future success or failure is contingent on how well-supplied Tavus and his followers are."

"You can count on Havok Squad, ma'am," Cyr'rnin replied.

"I tried that before," Garza said. "This time, I'm counting on the two of you."

"Yes, ma'am," Cyr'rnin said.

"Rest up for now, and meet with Corporal Garrum in the morning," the general told her. "How was the escort duty with the ambassador?"

"Milk run, ma'am, but I got to see my cousin."

Garza nodded. "Master Agenord. I've heard about him."

"A lot of people will hear about him, ma'am," Cyr'rnin said with a smile.

"I'm sure they will," the general said. "Lieutenant, Sergeant, dismissed."

Once out of the general's office, Cyr'rnin said, "Did you ever deal with these underworld types, Sergeant?"

Jorgan shook his head. "Needles or Gearbox would disappear for a few days and come back with new supplies. They said don't ask. We needed the supplies, so I didn't ask. Are you staying on the base while we're here?"

"That's the plan. I don't have time to house hunt."

"Our gear should be there by now," he told her.

"Sounds good, Sergeant. Request a vehicle, and meet me at oh-six-hundred."

The next morning, Jorgan arrived exactly on time. He'd be damned if a demotion would make him less of a soldier. He knocked, waited for a response, entered and saluted. His new lieutenant had her leg armor on, but only wore a tight bra above the waist.

"I'm having trouble with the chest armor," she told him. "It'll be a minute."

That was the first time he'd seen her without her armor. She was his height, maybe a little taller, with muscles gained from a lot of hard work. He'd already seen her toss around a full duffle and a gear bag like they were empty. As impressive as that was, the scars stood out more. Deep and intricate, more surgical than random, they covered the right half of her face past her ear, continued down her neck and shoulder, and disappeared under the tight bra. Each line was clean and careful, more like torture than combat. But, as bad as they were, she hadn't done anything about them. They showed no hint of skin grafts or regeneratives, nothing but natural healing.

She caught him staring and said, "Problem, Sergeant?"

"Sorry, ma'am. Just wondering where you got those scars."

She watched him for a long time before answering.

"A Sith Lord gave them to me."

"A Sith Lord, ma'am? Why didn't he kill you?"

"He didn't want to," she answered in a tone that said stop asking.

"Yes, ma'am."

She returned to her bedroom, and he thought, shit, rookie mistake.

He looked around the quarters. Tiny but comfortable. The kitchen was untouched, so they'd need to stop for food. A work mount stood on top of her table surrounded by tools and components. The mount was too small for a rifle, but a pistol would fit. However, the device clamped in place looked like a lightsaber. A section of the casing had been removed, and the crystal chamber was exposed. A device, too large for the hilt, sat in place of the lenses with wires running from it to a power supply. He was still trying to guess what it did when she came out, geared and ready to go.

"Ready, Sergeant?" she said.

"Yes, ma'am," he replied. "If I may ask, ma'am-"

She watched him.

"Why do you have a lightsaber?"

"It's a hobby," she replied with sudden enthusiasm. "I have been working on that lightsaber since I was ten."

"What's that thing on it?"

"Magnetic lenses," she said. "They're used for testing. I don't have proper lenses."

"You could ask your cousin."

She shook her head. "I would never deprive a Jedi of a crystal."

They left and headed for the speeder.

"Any good with it, ma'am?" Jorgan asked.

Her eyes lit up, and she almost smiled. "I was undefeated in vibrosword in Special Forces training. I even beat the instructors."

"You could give your cousin a run for his money."

"No," she said, that pride in her eyes again. "You'll understand if you see him fight. No one else is that good."

"Yes, ma'am," he replied, and thought, she's an odd one, but I've seen worse. He turned the speeder toward the base entrance, feeling like the Republic was a little less against him.


	11. The Hunter 1

Juda tapped at her screen, quadruple checking her numbers. A tenth of a credit off in one hundred thousand was too much for a Hutt. She appreciated the significance of her job, and the collar it kept off her neck. As if on cue, Nem'ro's laugh echoed from the throne room. One of the hunters must have pleased him. She returned to her screen when it flashed red. Someone had crossed the sensor in the hallway. Part receptionist, she waited for Nem'ro's guest. In a moment, a giant Twi'lek entered the foyer. Pale blue and youngish, he already showed some combat scars. He was a bounty hunter, obviously, but not in a scary way. Juda had always liked muscular men, and this one had arms as big as her thighs.

"Hello there, handsome," the Twi'lek girl said with a smile. "Looking for something?"

"Hello beautiful," he replied. "Got a name?"

"I'm Juda, Nem'ro's paymaster. If he gives you work, I'm the one you settle up with when the job's done."

"I like a woman with money," he said. "Ter'viro Onoka. Good to meet you."

"Onoka?" she said. "Do you know a Xaldiba Onoka?"

He sighed. "My older brother. You and he-?"

"No," she said. "Too skinny. I like big guys. How tall are you, anyway?"

"Two oh five."

Her jaw dropped. "Wow." She held out her hand. "It's a pleasure meeting you."

He looked at her hand. "Sorry. I don't shake."

"My hands are clean."

"I broke a guy's fingers when I was twelve," he said. "Accidentally."

"Oh," she said, pulling her hand back. "Ever hurt a girl? Accidentally?"

"Not yet," he told her. "My first girlfriend had some ideas. They worked out pretty well."

"Good to know. Are you here for the Hunt?"

"That's the plan. Anything I should know before going in?"

"Don't brag to him or brownnose him," Juda said. "He likes professional."

"I can do that," he said. "Thanks for the advice."

She checked his ass as he left. Broke a guy's fingers, but an ass like that might be worth the kolto.

* * *

Carnus said, "Look, boss, little tiny- Never mind."

"Be polite, Carnus," Nem'ro said. "This bounty hunter has been sweeping the filth from my town's lovely streets. You stand in the court of Nem'ro. All you see in Jiguuna is under my authority. Welcome."

"Thanks," Ter'viro said.

"Your brother has worked for me twice," Nem'ro told him. "Good work, but I won't let you rest on his success. Tell me, do you think you're as capable as he is?"

"Yes," Ter'viro replied.

Nem'ro said, "Ha! Straight to the point, is it? Then I will do you the same favor. You want sponsorship into the Great Hunt. I can provide that. But why should I?"

"I can win."

The great Nem'ro laughed. "Mako says you are a famous bounty hunter-that hardened men run and hide just hearing your name. But Mako says lots of things."

"It's mostly true," Ter'viro replied.

"An honest bounty hunter?" Nem'ro said. "What next? A funny Jedi? You want to prove that you are this fearsome manhunter? I will give you that chance. I have targets here on wonderful Hutta that need eliminating. No problem for one with your reported skills."

"If there's money in it," Ter'viro said.

"A true mercenary. You'll do well with Nem'ro," the Hutt said. "Now, let's discuss your first target."

* * *

Two days later, Ter'viro rested in a kolto tank in the infirmary of Nem'ro's palace, compensation for the Beastmaster. The medic answered a knock at the door, and Juda peeked in.

"Okay to come in?" she asked.

Ter'viro waved her in.

"Nice to see you alive and well," Juda said. "That was really rotten what Nem'ro did to you."

"You could make me feel better," Ter'viro answered.

"You're as bad as your brother."

He looked at her.

"Okay," she said. "Maybe not that bad." She looked at the deep cuts on his arms. "Wow, those pits are brutal."

"That was one of those bug things," he said.

"K'lor'slug," the medic said. "We get them from Korriban."

Juda told him, "I've got a very large payment here for you, but it doesn't say what for."

"No big deal," Ter'viro said.

"Right. One large payment for mysterious reasons."

"Do you like mysterious men?" he asked.

She rolled her eyes. "I like reliable men. Win the Hunt, and maybe we'll talk."

"Am I done?" Ter'viro asked the medic.

"Close enough," he said.

Ter'viro nodded and stood up. Juda yelled and spun around.

"I'm really sorry," she said.

"Why?" Ter'viro asked and looked down. "Oh, right." He climbed out of the tank. "I grew up in a warm climate. We didn't care so much." He rinsed off in a shower stall and pulled his pants on. "Is that better?"

Juda turned back and thought, yeah, that's a body that could break bones. He looked strong enough to take down a Houk.

"Yes," Juda said. "Better. Here's your money. Don't spend it all in one place."

Mako burst into the room and said, "Ter'viro, we've been had!" She stopped and stared while he stretched the tension from his back.

"That was quick," he said and pulled on his boots. "Mako?"

"Yes!" she said. "You'd think people would secure their comm channels better."

"Got a name?" he asked. "Mako?"

"Yes!" Mako said. "I know who got Nem'ro's sponsorship token and how to find him. I'll tell you everything, but I've got a price. Take me with you. I want to be your partner in the Great Hunt."

"I know."

"I'm good with a blaster, and Braden was like a father to me. It's not fair that- wait, did you just say yes?"

"Of course," Ter'viro said. "I couldn't have made it this far without you."

"Thank you," Mako said. "I want to be there when we find Braden's killer. I want that more than anything."

"Be careful," Juda said. "He flirts."

"Have you been flirting with Juda?" Mako asked. She looked at Juda. "Okay, that kind of makes sense, but we can't do that. We need to focus on the Hunt."

"Okay," Ter'viro said. "Ready to go?"

Mako nodded. "Whatever it takes to get you into the Great Hunt. The hunter we're after-"

"Tell me on the way," Ter'viro said, and they headed out.

Yes, Juda thought, that ass was worth the kolto.

* * *

"I see my scaly friend Rarsk was no match for you," Nem'ro said.

"Got that right," Ter'viro said

"I am Grataa," a Kaleesh said, stepping forward. "It is my honor to represent the Great Hunt. I have been investigating possible malfeasance by one Tarro Blood."

"He slaughtered my crew," Ter'viro replied.

"I am aware," Grataa said. "I regret that I arrived too late to intervene. While dishonorable, the attack wasn't technically against the rules. Unless Tarro attacks another competitor, he cannot be punished."

"He cheats," Ter'viro said.

Grataa said, "Perhaps. I shall monitor Tarro Blood's activities. If he breaks the Great Hunt's rules, he will pay for it, but know that Tarro is protected by this competition's rules the same as you."

"The Hunt won't last forever."

"Indeed, but the competition is only beginning. For now, go to Dromund Kaas. Seek the Huntmaster in the Mandalorian enclave. He will answer all your questions about the Great Hunt."

"I wish Braden could see this," Mako said.

"Don't worry," Ter'viro told her. "Tarro Blood will get what's coming to him-that's a promise."

"You're the best," she said.

"You have my token," Nem'ro said. "And recognition as the most fearsome hunter on Hutta. For this, and the Beastmaster, you shall be rewarded. Tshala, Ettu." The slaves on his dais looked up. "Tonight, you belong to him."

"They do?" Mako said.

"Of course, little Mako. Your hunter has earned it."

The slaves left the dais, took Ter'viro by the arms, and drew him from the room.

"Oh," Mako said. "Right. I guess I'll go back to my room." She watched the door they took and then left.

* * *

The next morning, Ter'viro carried the human slave to the infirmary with the Twi'lek slave following behind them.

"She's injured," Ter'viro said to the medic.

"Put her on the table," he replied.

The girl winced while Ter'viro lowered her to the scanning table. Ter'viro stepped back, and the scanning bar ran the length of her body.

"You bruised three of her ribs," the medic said. "But nothing's broken. A little kolto, and she'll be fine."

"I'm really sorry," Ter'viro said.

"I know, master," the slave replied.

"Tshala," the Twi'lek said. "I have your clothes."

"Do you need help getting her into the tank?" Ter'viro asked.

The medic nodded. Tshala winced again when Ter'viro picked her up. He lowered her carefully into the kolto tank.

"Do you need anything else?" Ter'viro asked.

"No," the medic said. "It's really not that bad. You can go."

"The rest of it was really good," Tshala said. "Especially the stuff from last night."

"Thanks, but that doesn't make me feel better."

"You should go, master," Ettu said. "Nem'ro would be upset if you put us ahead of the Hunt."

"She's right," the medic said. "Tshala will be fine. I promise."

After Ter'viro left, Juda walked in saying, "Are you two slacking off?" Once the door closed, she ran to the tank and said, "Why did you need kolto?"

"It was an accident," Tshala said. "He's just really strong."

"It actually was an accident," Ettu said.

"I was on top of him," Tshala said. "And he was holding me. You know what it's like when a big guy holds you? And, he came, and he hugged me too hard."

Juda looked at the medic.

"It's consistent with her injuries," he said.

"He's just really strong," Tshala said. "The rest of it was good. He went down on both of us."

"That was pretty good," Ettu said. "He massaged my lekku and sucked on the tips."

"Oh, I love that," Juda said. "I told him I might reward him if he wins. Do you think I should?"

"Yeah," Tshala said.

"I guess," Ettu added.

"I know," Juda said. "You liked his brother more."

Ettu shrugged. "I will admit, Ter'viro has a nice ass."

Juda, Tshala and the medic said, "Yes."

Juda and Ettu looked at him.

"You didn't know?" Tshala said. "I thought everyone knew."

"Okay," Juda said. "I'll tell Nem'ro his hunter was rough with both of you. That'll get you a couple of hours."

"Do you have any regular food?" Tshala asked. "I'm sick of the food packs."

"He wants us skinny," Ettu said.

"I know," Tshala replied.

"It's Hutta," Juda said. "The regular food isn't much better, but I'll see what I can do."

A nice bounty hunter, Juda thought. They're rare, but they do exist. And on Hutta, a nice guy was definitely worth a few bruises.


	12. The Warrior 2

"Ow, ow, ow, ow," Vette said, settling slowly into a chair.

"Difficult training?" Mau'te asked.

"New instructor," Vette said. "She's a little intense."

"Anything that helps."

He examined and separated his new clothes. He had purchased more Sith Lord looking robes and divided them into casual, combat, and ceremonial. Mostly black with the occasional red or silver mixed highlights. He looked a little too good in them, not that she would tell him that.

"You can stay home tomorrow, if you like," he continued.

"Sparring or more droids?" she asked.

"Sparring, and I have a meeting with Barras. I know you don't like those," he answered.

"What was up with those droids, anyway? I didn't think droids could rebel."

"They can't," he said. "Someone is using them as a distraction. We don't know why yet."

"How many more people do you have to challenge?" she asked.

"Five more Lords, then I move on to the Darths." He watched her wince reaching for a drink. "Would you like me to fix dinner tonight?"

"No," she said quickly. "I can do it."

"You can barely move."

"I'll be fine."

"I thought you didn't like domestic work," he said.

"I'm getting used to the cooking part." She whimpered a little while trying to stand.

"I'm not that bad," he said.

"No, no, but I can do it."

"What if I order something?"

"That's a great idea," she said, sitting down again.

"I'm not that bad."

"No," she said. "But you should order something. That's a really good idea."

He rolled his eyes.

"What's the thing with Barras?" she asked.

"I don't know. He hasn't cracked the S.I.S. agent yet. This is something else."

"Any money in it?" she asked.

"If there's combat," he said. "Assuming you don't die."

"Cool. I'll get my stuff ready."

He gave her an odd look and ordered dinner.

* * *

"Ten more," the agent said.

"Ten?" Vette replied. Sweat dripped from her nose and the tips of her lekku. She groaned and shook and managed another push-up and collapsed. "How many do you do a day?"

"Two hundred and fifty," the agent said.

"I hate you." Vette groaned and did another push-up.

"This isn't hate," the agent said. "Squats are hate."

Vette's communicator beeped.

"Gotta get that," she said.

"Eight more when you get back."

Vette groaned again. She reached a quiet spot and answered the com.

"How is it going?" Mau'te asked.

"I hate her."

"Good. That means it's helping."

"Tell me there's combat," she said. "I really need combat."

"Actually, I'll be doing this mission on my own. I shouldn't be gone more than two or three days. I'll see you when I get back."

"What?" she said, but he'd already switched off. "I hate him. That son of a bitch."

"Problem, Vette?" the agent called out.

"He's got a mission, but he's doing it without me."

"Good. I don't think you're ready yet. Eight more.

Vette sighed. "You're as bad as he is."

The agent's eyes narrowed, and her face froze into a hard mask.

"I doubt that," she said in a soft, scary voice.

Vette thought, I'm going to regret that. "Eight more?" she ventured.

"Yes," the agent said, still in that soft voice. "Then squats."

Oh, yeah. Lots of pain tonight.

* * *

She was still pissed, and sore, three days later when he got back.

"I brought dinner," he told her.

She scowled.

"And dessert."

More scowling.

"You wouldn't have liked this mission." He set the food on the nearest table and started tearing open the bags.

"You know I need the money," she said. She could smell at least three of her favorite foods, but it didn't stop her.

"Not from a mission like that," he told her.

She scowled at him again.

"Did you do something to my instructor?" she asked.

"I haven't met your instructor," he said.

"She acts like she hates you."

"Maybe she doesn't like Sith," he suggested.

"Yeah. I understand that."

He sighed. "You wouldn't have liked that mission, Vette."

"How do you know that?"

"Some missions are too... Sith for you."

"Are you trying to keep me here?" she asked.

"I wouldn't do that to you."

"How would I know that? This was our first real mission. I wanted to be a part of it. I wanted to show you what I could do. I wanted-"

"I would have had to kill you!" he said. "When the mission was over. Barras wanted you dead. That was the kind of mission it was."

She watched him, waiting for the punchline, but he continued tearing open bags.

"I thought you needed me," she said.

"He told me, 'Get another one. You can find plenty on Korriban.'"

"Oh," she said. Stupid, she thought. Fucking stupid. He's a fucking Sith Lord. "What... kind of dessert?"

"That thing you had after the tomb."

"Reka," she said. She watched him with the food and noticed he barely moved his left arm. "Is something wrong with your arm?"

"It's a minor injury. I'll be fine."

She scowled at him again. "Sit down. I'll get the food ready."

He shrugged and sat down.

"Don't expect this every time," she said, going through the bags. "Injury is a special exception. You wouldn't be injured now if I'd been there. I'm just saying. And don't think I'm easy to kill. I could get away from you if I wanted to. I'd be on the run from the Empire, but we both know that was going to happen anyway. I've survived a lot worse than one clumsy Sith Lord, I'll tell you that."

"You're right," he said. "You're very slippery."

"You got that right." She sat down and started eating.

He watched her for a little while before picking up his utensils.

"The medic that worked on me offered to check my wound tonight," he said.

"Oh. You get that a lot, don't you?"

"One of the benefits of being a Sith Lord."

"Right," she said. "Sith Lord."

"I'll stay if you wish. If you need me for anything."

"No," she said. "I'm worn out from training anyway. I just want to go to sleep after this. Go collect your benefits."

"The training is going well?"

"It's tough, but it's helping," she said. "Thanks. For not killing me."

"You have a valuable skill set. I don't want to see it wasted."

"Shut up and eat," she said. "Your food's getting cold."

He shut up and ate. He finished. He left. Vette curled up on the couch and thought, What the fuck was I thinking? At least he didn't get to see her cry.


	13. The Knight 4

Agenord and Teeseven entered the Jedi training hall and found Kira Carsen running through combat exercises while her master, Bela Kiwiiks, spoke to Master Satele by holo. He waited and watched until he was noticed.

"Master Kiwiiks," Kira said.

The Jedi Masters looked up from their conversation.

"Master Agenord," Master Kiwiiks said. "How goes the investigation?"

"Slowly," he said. "I'm waiting for an informant to contact me."

"I heard about that business on the _Esseles_ ," Master Satele said.

"Just some Imperials and a Sith Lord. Nothing I couldn't handle," Agenord said.

Kira said, "Thank goodness your ego wasn't damaged."

"They didn't have the firepower for that," Agenord replied.

Kira rolled her eyes.

"Why are you here, Master Agenord, if not the investigation?" Master Kiwiiks asked.

"To test myself against you," he said.

"Worked your way down to me, have you?" she replied.

"You were a Battlemaster once," Agenord said.

"Briefly," she said, "And I wasn't very good at it."

"Master Orgus believes differently," he said.

"I agree with Master Orgus, Bela," Master Satele said.

Master Kiwiiks sighed. "I guess I'm outvoted, but you must help Kira clean up. That's my price."

"Do you mind if I watch?" Master Satele said, a gleam in her eyes.

Master Kiwiiks looked at her. "You sound oddly pleased, Satele."

"Do I?" she said. "I suppose I am. I just received word that Yadira Ban, the Jedi from the _Brentaal Star_ , will make a full recovery."

"I remember her," Agenord said.

"One of your many fans?" Kira asked.

"Actually," he said, "She was obsessed with my cousin Kriranda. I thought she was setting her bar a little high."

Master Satele smiled. "Yadira is nothing if not enthusiastic."

"Your cousin is 'setting the bar a little high'?" Kira said to Agenord.

"Yes, she is," Master Satele said.

"Master Kiwiiks?" Agenord said.

She held up her hand, and a training saber flew to her from a rack. Agenord did the same, and the fight began.

Forty minutes later, Master Kiwiiks, sweaty and breathing heavy, looked up at the scoreboard. Five to two, in favor of Agenord.

"Not a word, Satele," Master Kiwiiks said.

Master Satele replied, "You wouldn't feel so bad if you saw the list of his other victims."

"I still haven't beaten _you_ yet," Agenord said.

"Yet?" Satele replied.

He replied with a confident look.

"I haven't hit Master Kiwiiks once," Kira said. "And I'm her Padawan."

"You're getting better, Kira," Master Kiwiiks said. "You really are."

Kira didn't look convinced.

"It's getting late here, Bela," Master Satele said. "We'll continue our discussion later. Master Agenord, while I have you, the Matriarch asked about you."

"I thought that matter was settled," he said.

"It has been," she replied. "We're getting bread for protection. Actually, that bread is very good. It makes the protein paste edible. Maybe the Matriarch wanted to wish you well. She did seem to like you."

Agenord said, "We worked well together."

Teeseven squealed.

"What was that?" Kira said.

"I don't know," Agenord replied. "I'll have him checked out."

"I'll send someone to the village," Master Satele said. "I'm sure it's nothing."

"Master Agenord," Master Kiwiiks said, "Your fee awaits." She motioned to the training room.

"Well worth it," he said. "I learned a lot."

"You're kind," she said.

"I'm honest. You earned those hits."

Kira watched her master leave, and sighed and said again, "I haven't hit her once."

"Sorry," Agenord said, gathering training supplies.

Kira sighed again. "Thanks. And Master Satele is impressed with one of your cousins. I heard another one of your cousins is the head of Havok Squad. At twenty-two. Is that right?"

"Cyr'rnin," he said. "And her older sister Nin'nussil designs weapons for the Republic."

"That's a bit much for one family," Kira said, pushing a practice dummy back against a wall.

"We take our responsibility very seriously."

"Responsibility?"

He said, "We're strong in the Force. We're known for it on Ryloth."

"Oh," she said. "You're like the Windus."

"Exactly, and we tend to marry for genetic quality."

"You're eugenic?" she asked.

He shook his head. "We're not _that_ organized, but marriage for love is rare in my family. My grandparents aren't in love. Everyone knows that. I think my own parents have grown fond of each other. That's something, anyway."

"It sounds like a big family. There's really no one?"

"Kriranda's parents _might_ be in love," he said. "It's hard to tell. They're researchers. They're level of discourse is above the rest of us."

"Even with all that," she said, "Don't you think you're a little _too_ strong?" She saw immediately that was the wrong thing to say.

"Yes," he said in a heavy tone. "So does the Council."

"They're afraid of you?"

"'For me' would be more accurate," he said. "If my scores are right, I may be a Champion of the Force."

She raised her eyebrows. "Like Revan or the Perfect Being?"

"Revan," he said. "I wouldn't want to be the Perfect Being. I would _never_ want that much power."

"Still," she said. "It must be nice."

"Sometimes," he said. "Sometimes it feels like a burden. Sometimes it feels like cheating."

"People have accused Jedi of cheating since forever."

"True," he said. "That's not the part that bothers me. Everyone identified as a Champion has done something very important and died. Some people think Champions are strong enough to influence the Force directly, and it's afraid of them. It creates them for a reason and kills them when that reason is gone. They all accomplished something great and lived short, tragic lives."

Kira stacked more gear, not sure of what to say, then looked up. "What about Master Satele?"

"She's not a Champion," he said.

"No," Kira said, "But, if the rumors are right, she's descended from Revan through Bastilla Shan. Literally."

"I guess," he said.

"He must have had some fun. Maybe more than once. He was Sith for a while. There's no telling what kind of fun they had."

"Not something I wanted to picture," Agenord said.

Teeseven whistled in agreement.

"Find yourself a Bastilla Shan," Kira said.

He watched her and said, "Do you know any spirited Jedi women?"

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Not any that would put up with you."

He smiled at her. "Would you like a lesson before I go? I can show you how to get past Master Kiwiik's guard."

She thought about it and said, "Don't you have an investigation to get back to?"

"I do," he said. "Bastilla Shan used a double-bladed saber, didn't she?"

She stared at him. "Investigation. Go."

He smiled at her again and departed.

Champion, huh? Kira thought. Let's see. Brooding, check. Good with a lightsaber, check. Nice smile, when he shows it, check. Too arrogant for his own good. What do you know? Maybe he was a Champion after all.


	14. The Agent 2

"Is everything all right, Vette?" the agent asked.

Vette nodded, but she moved through sit-ups more by rote than enthusiasm.

"You usually hate me a lot more by now," the agent continued.

"Yeah," Vette said.

"Did he do something to you?"

Vette shook her head. "He's good about that. Barras wanted Mau'te to kill me at the end of that mission.

The agent sighed. The rumors about Barras and the slave rebellion must be true.

"Barras is known for not liking loose ends. Or witnesses," the agent said.

"I figured," Vette replied. "I could understand Korriban, but he wanted to kill me for doing the job right. I thought all I had to do was act like a good girl for a little while."

"Actually, you're one of the best people I know."

Vette laughed a little. "I've got a muddier past than you think."

"Compared to all the other people on Dromund Kaas?"

"Oh, yeah," Vette said. "Good point. At least Mau'te protected me. This time anyway."

"I suppose he did," the agent said.

"You don't like him, do you?"

"I don't like it when Sith Lords let their arrogance, or their passions, get out of hand," the agent replied. "And I don't like the infighting. It weakens the Empire."

"Why are you doing this, by the way? If Mau'te didn't ask you."

"I was asked by another Sith Lord, one more in control of her passions."

"Her?" Vette said. "Really? Why? Never mind. I don't want to know."

The agent smiled in spite of herself. "She has an interest in Lord Mau'te, and you're there to keep him alive."

"Oh, okay. So, back to the sit-ups."

The agent stood and held out a hand to help Vette up. "It's time for combat training."

"I thought I wasn't ready," Vette said, standing up.

"You just became ready." She took Vette to a target dummy and gave her a practice knife. "Do you know how to use a vibroknife?"

"Basically."

"Force sensitives predict your attacks by seeing the future, reading your surface thoughts, and reading your body language. You can confuse their foresight with multiple feints." She made four quick stabs at the dummy, but only one connected. "If you practice enough, your movements become muscle memory, and you can disconnect them from your surface thoughts. Learn enough different techniques, and your body language won't give you away."

"Is it really that easy?" Vette asked.

"No," the agent said. "They're trained to watch for it. But, it is the basis of everything else I will teach you. By the time I'm done with you, your chances against a Force sensitive will go from zero to... one in twenty. One in ten if you're really talented."

"Any Sith Lord?"

"An acolyte or an apprentice, yes. A Sith Lord, maybe. A Darth, run."

"I can do that," Vette said.

"Let's get started."

Two hours later, Vette dropped to the floor and groaned, "I can't lift my arms anymore."

"I believe you. Wait here. I've got something for you."

The agent recovered a small case from another room, sat next to Vette, and handed it to her. The case contained a high-end, military grade vibroknife. The blade was slender with a fine point and made of a black metal with a matte finish. An assassin's weapon. Moderate length, easy to conceal, and it fit Vette's hand perfectly.

"How much did this cost you?" Vette asked.

"Not much," the agent said. "I made it myself."

"Wow. Really."

"Thank you," the agent said. "The blade and guard are coated with phrik, and it uses a class two fusion cell. It should last you a lifetime."

"Phrik?"

"A special alloy," the agent said. "It's resistant to lightsabers, but not immune. It will stop a glancing blow but not a solid strike. It's good backup if the shield generator is damaged. It makes the knife heavier, but it's worth it." She ran a fingertip along the flat of the blade. "I made something like this for my sister."

"I'm betting she's not a chef."

The agent smiled again. "I haven't seen her for a few years, but I know she wanted to be a soldier. I wanted to give her a little extra protection against Force sensitives."

"You really hate them, don't you?"

The agent shook her head. "Not all of them. I know some that I would trust with my life, but they are definitely a minority."

"Any Force sensitive you have in mind for this one?" Vette held up the vibroknife.

"Yes," the agent said. "Any Force sensitive that attacks you."

* * *

The assassin opened the door to her apartment with a smile.

"Agent," she said, greeting the other Twi'lek woman. "And you must be Kaliyo. I've heard so much about you."

"Nice meeting you, my... Lady," Kaliyo said. "Sorry. I'm not much for formalities."

"Neither am I." the assassin said.

"I didn't think Imperial Intelligence got along with Sith," Kaliyo said.

"We don't," the assassin replied. "I'm blackmailing your agent with something juicy."

"Anything I can use?" Kaliyo asked, looking at the agent.

"I'd have to kill you if you found out," the assassin said. "But it'd be quick and painless. I promise."

"That's nice. Who's the big, scary whatever?"

"That's Khem," the assassin said. "You're not Force sensitive, so he won't eat you."

"Why doesn't he eat you?" Kaliyo asked.

"I'm not ripe yet."

"We're here to talk," the agent said.

"Quite right," the assassin replied. "Kaliyo, I was wondering if you could help me while the agent I are talking." She showed Kaliyo to a table with a dozen framed designs on it. "I've recently become interested in Rattataki tribal tattoos. I know some of them have additional meaning. I was wondering if you could assemble some these into a phrase I might like."

Kaliyo skimmed the designs and said, "I'll do what I can."

The assassin thanked her, and took the agent to a secure room.

"What do you think of Vette so far?" the assassin said.

"She's annoying, argumentative, sarcastic," the agent began. "Too damn good for him."

"Good for him is what I need. How are her skills?"

"Her stealth skills are nearly as good as mine," the agent said. "Her slicing is better. I'd love to know who taught her. Her combat skills need work. She's not a killer by nature. But she learns fast. I can get her ready."

"Excellent," the assassin said.

"I like her," the agent said. "If he hurts her, even once, I'm getting her out. Your vision be damned. I won't let him do that to anyone else."

The assassin nodded. "If her hurts her, she's hasn't helped him. It won't matter."

The agent had rarely seen the assassin at a loss.

"What happens if you fail?" the agent asked.

The assassin sighed. "Mau'te and Agenord lead armies against each other. Their war becomes the galaxy's war. Billions would die."

"There's another option," the agent said.

"No. They're here for a reason. Something else, something... clouded, will kill as many or more without them to stop it."

She exhaled in disgust. "The galaxy needs him or else. That's just perfect."

The assassin waited in silence.

"I saw what you did to Kaliyo," the agent said at last. "How bad is it?"

"I'm sure you've seen worse."

"It's bad enough to cover a family tattoo."

The assassin said, "That says more about Kaliyo than what she did."

"That I believe," the agent replied. "I can tell her I didn't ask. She'll trust me more. Now tell me, what do you know about Darth Jadus?"

"Never let your guard down around him," the assassin said. "I've never seen a Sith Lord that could cover his tracks as well as that one."

"Does _he_ need to survive?"

"No. He does not."

The agent smiled. "Let's see what Kaliyo has for you."

They found Kaliyo leaning against the table. Four of the designs were separated out and placed in a line. She appeared relaxed, but she watched the agent's face for any changes.

"What have you got for me?" the assassin asked.

Kaliyo motioned to the designs. "These tattoos form a common phrase, 'Strength though Intellect; Power through Knowledge.'"

The assassin pointed to another design and said, "Doesn't that also mean knowledge?"

"Yes," Kaliyo said. "This one-" She pointed to the first design. "-means information, research, study. That one suggests experience. Either could be used."

"Thank you, Kaliyo," the assassin said. "I guess I have a decision to make. It's been wonderful meeting you. And, agent, keep up the good work."

Once in the elevator, Kaliyo said, "I suppose she told you."

"I didn't ask," the agent replied. "I need you to trust me. Besides, she said it wasn't that bad."

"Not that bad?"

"By Imperial standards," the agent replied. "It's quite all right. That was just a gentle reminder. Everyone is vulnerable."

"That was gentle?" Kaliyo said.

"By her standards."

"Got it," Kaliyo said. "Don't piss off scary Sith bitch. Lesson learned. Does she really have something on you?"

"In a manner of speaking."

"Would she really kill me if I found out?"

"Yes," the agent said. "But she likes you. She'd make it quick and painless."

"What would you do?"

"I'd also make it quick and painless."

Kaliyo smiled like she'd just been given a new weapon to play with. "Cool. This job just got a lot more interesting."

The agent thought, yes it did.


	15. The Hunter 2

A Sith lady, Mako thought as she and Ter'viro walked back to the Mandalorian Tower. Are Sith really that scary? She never met any before Dromund Kaas. She knew their reputation, but she needed numbers. She reached out with her implant.

Connect to HoloNet.

 _Connected._

Connect Imperial Public Records.

 _Connected._

Search Admiral Fraabaal.

 _316 entries._

Isolate family history.

 _61 entries._

Search summary.

 _3 entries._

She read through them quickly, but they didn't add anything new.

Return to HoloNet Primary.

Search analysis Sith Lord bounty hunter combat success rate.

 _1,267,304 entries._

Shit.

Add summary.

 _432,998 entries._

Add recent.

 _80,617 entries._

Add unbiased.

 _34 entries._

She skimmed through them, but the numbers weren't good.

"Find anything?" Ter'viro asked.

"Bounty hunters have beaten Sith Lords before," Mako said. "But it's usually the other way around."

"I figured."

"And I don't like killing her. I don't think it's right. I don't think that's what we're here to do. I know he said Sith politics, but she's his daughter."

"I agree," Ter'viro said.

"I don't know how we're supposed to do a job like this, or why, or why you agreed, or- Wait, you agree with me?"

"Of course," he replied.

"I need to listen more. So, what do we do?"

Ter'viro put his hand on her waist and drew her into an alcove.

What was he doing? Why was he touching her like that? We're not supposed to do that, not while we're on the Hunt. It didn't feel bad, technically. It felt firm. His arm felt firm. Really, really firm.

He leaned down, his mouth close to her ear.

That's really close. Did he need to be that close? Maybe he did need to be that close.

"I want you to find someone," he whispered.

"Why are we whispering?"

"I want you to find my cousin Mau'te," Ter'viro said. "He might be on Dromund Kaas."

"Is he a bounty hunter?" Mako asked.

"He's a Sith Lord."

Mako nearly yelled but stopped herself. "What? I thought the people in your family were Jedi."

"When did I tell you that?"

"You didn't," she said. "I looked you up. I wanted to know who I was working with. What?"

"Nothing, I guess. Can you find him?"

"I can try. Why?"

"He might give us some tips."

"I can try," she said. "It will take a while. Sith are higher security."

"Do what you can."

They returned to their quarters, and he trained while she searched.

"I have something," she told him, an hour later. "It's kind of weird."

"Weird how?"

"He's working with a Twi'lek I know. It's kind of a weird coincidence."

"I got a cousin that talks about coincidences," he said. "I never understood her, though."

"I can talk to her," Mako said. "Maybe we can meet them outside the city. If they agree."

"Makes sense," he said.

"Okay. I'll talk to her tomorrow."

* * *

Vette groaned while she lowered herself onto a bench. She looked at the line of people waiting for a speeder and decided she could wait. She leaned back and rested.

Someone in a coat and a hood sat on the other end of the bench and whispered, "Don't say anything. Okay, say something, but don't say anything, okay?"

"Mako?"

"Shhh! I mean yes, but shh. We need to go somewhere. To talk, I mean."

Vette pushed herself off of the bench and followed Mako. Vette had a thousand questions for her friend, but only two that mattered. The young slicer guided Vette on winding route to avoid the security cameras until they reached clean but discrete alley. Mako smiled at Vette and waited. Vette hugged Mako and squeezed as if she were Vette's last grip on sanity.

"Vette?" Mako said.

Vette took a deep breath, let it go, and stepped back. "Why are you on Dromund Kaas?"

"I'm in the Hunt," Mako said. "Or trying to be in the Hunt. I'm with a bounty hunter, and we're trying to get a place in the Hunt. We need to prove ourselves to make it in, but we've got a good chance."

"What do you need from me?" Vette asked.

"My bounty hunter wants to talk to your Sith Lord. I can't tell you why. It's not bad, but I can't tell you why."

"Where?" Vette asked.

"Outside the city. Southern jungle, probably. You pick the spot. We'll be there."

"I'll talk to Mau'te."

"Thanks," Mako said. "Leave a message in the 4113-J code."

"I remember it," Vette said. She pushed a lock of hair away from Mako's implant. "How are you doing?"

"They killed Braden," Mako said. "One of the other bounty hunters. Just to make it difficult for us. They killed him just for that."

"Braden? Oh, the hunter that took you in."

"He believed in me," Mako said, wiping tears from her eyes. "He cared about me."

Vette nodded. Compassion was worth more than credits on Nar Shaddaa.

"I meant, how are _you_ doing?"

"Oh," Mako said. "Still looking. I have time. Don't look at me like that. I have time. Some time, anyway."

"Does your hunter know?"

"No, and don't tell him. Promise."

"I promise." She hugged Mako again. "It's good to see you. It's nice to find someone here who doesn't scare the shit out of me."

"I know," Mako said. "They're like that, aren't they?"

"How did you find me?"

"I sliced the security cameras. What? I didn't take control; I just accessed the feed."

"They execute people here," Vette said.

"Oh, right. Okay, I'll stop."

* * *

"Thank you for this," Vette said. She crossed her arms and shivered. Weren't jungles supposed to be warm? They had left the city before dawn so they wouldn't be noticed. The clearing he picked was reasonably isolated, but damp and cold.

"Of course, Vette," Mau'te said. "She's your friend. If you trust her, I trust her."

Vette stared at him. "What was that?"

"It's your job to keep me alive, Vette," he said. "How can you do that if I don't trust you?"

"Oh," she said. "For a moment I thought you were being nice."

"I'll endeavor to avoid the confusion."

"So, why the secrecy?" Vette asked.

"The Mandalorians wouldn't like it if one of their hunters asked for help from a Sith Lord," he said. "They are excellent soldiers, and we use them as mercenaries. It's why we gave them a tower. But in direct conflict, Sith Lords beat Mandalorians eighty percent of the time. Roughly. That is an unpleasant fact to a warrior culture."

"Oh," she said. "I suppose you'd feel the same way."

"You're quite right," he said. "We would."

The sound of a speeder reached them through the trees. It was about time. She'd almost been tempted to eat Mau'te's cooking for breakfast.

Mau'te closed his eyes, sensing the riders. "It can't be," he said.

"Can't be what?"

The speeder reached the clearing and a pale blue Twi'lek, obviously too large for the speeder, climbed down with Mako behind him. He had a strong face, a little above average, with a knife scar down his jaw. Mau'te saw him and exhaled sharply.

"You grew," the hunter said.

" _I_ grew," Mau'te replied. "You were shorter than me when I left. You must be as tall as your father now."

"I beat him by three centimeters."

"That wasn't a record you needed to beat. And _bounty hunter_. How did that happen?"

"How do you know him?" Vette asked.

"This is my cousin Ter'viro."

"Are you shitting me?" Vette said. "I mean, nice to meet you." She held out her hand.

"He doesn't shake," Mau'te said.

Ter'viro shrugged. "I broke a guy's fingers when I was twelve. Accidentally."

Vette believed that.

"So," Ter'viro said. "What's with the accent?"

"I picked it up as an acolyte," Mau'te replied. "It helped me fit in, and it's expected in the Empire. It makes things easier for me. Now tell me, how did bounty hunter happen?"

"I did my year of mandatory. One of the instructors said I could do this." He shrugged again. "I finally found something I'm good at."

"What are you talking about?" Mau'te said. "What about botany?"

Vette stared at Ter'viro and said, "Botany?"

"Oh, yeah," Mako said. "His mother's a botanist, and his grades in chemistry and biology were really good."

Ter'viro stared at her. Vette knew that look.

"What?" Mako said.

"Mako," Vette said. "Jaran."

"Oh, shit. Again? I'm sorry. I'll stop."

"Jaran?" Ter'viro said.

"A guy she liked," Vette said. "She stalked him on the HoloNet."

"Not really," Mako said. "Not much, anyway. A little, I guess. He blew it out of proportion."

"You went back five generations."

"I was thorough," she said. "Okay. Sorry."

Mau'te laughed. Vette stared at him. He actually laughed.

"So, this is Mako," he said. "I can tell you're a woman of exceptional ability."

"Oh," Mako said. "Uh, thanks. Huh."

"Why are you hitting on your cousin's girlfriend?" Vette asked.

"I'm not hitting on her," Mau'te said. "I'm simply being nice to her."

"And I'm his information officer," Mako said. "Technically. Not his... Never mind."

"Isn't she _your_ friend?" Mau'te asked.

"Yes," Vette said. "That's why I want to save her from you."

"I wonder how you ever acquired a friend in the first place," he replied.

"I'll have you know, I'm _very_ loyal to my friends," Vette said.

"She really is," Mako said. "She... Never mind."

"No," Mau'te said. "I actually believe that." He turned to Ter'viro. "How..." He stopped and took a breath. "How did the family react?"

"I don't know," Ter'viro said. "I didn't ask. I wanted to leave. I never liked what they did to you."

"What _he_ did to me," Mau'te said.

"Yeah."

Mau'te took another breath. "How is she?"

"Recovered. Mostly," Ter'viro said. "Never did anything about the scars. I don't know why."

"I know why," Mau'te said. "I know exactly why." He closed his eyes as if holding something back or pushing something back. "How is she doing?"

"Joined the military," Ter'viro said.

"Yes," Mau'te said with a bitter laugh. "She would excel at that. Thank you." He exhaled slowly. "On to business. Why do you need the help of a Sith Lord?"

"I guess it's safe to talk," Ter'viro said to Mako. "Our next target is a Sith Lord."

"This is to _enter_ the Hunt?" Mau'te said.

"Yeah," Ter'viro said.

"Who is the target?" Mau'te asked.

"Admiral Fraabaal's daughter."

Mau'te nodded. "I've heard about her. She's joined Grathan's cult. That _would_ be an embarrassment. What do you know about her?"

"She's nineteen," Mako said.

"Still an acolyte," Mau'te said. "How much combat experience does she have?"

"None, I think," Mako said.

"Her father kept her out of battle?" Mau'te asked.

Mako nodded.

"An undertrained, inexperienced, spoiled brat. Your chances are not horrible. Not even the Force could compensate for all of those failings." He retrieved something from his speeder. "Fortunately, I have my training saber with me. Let's run you through a few drills."

"Training saber?" Mako said.

"Yes. It generates a forcefield in the shape of a blade and fills it with a weak plasma. It mimics the feel of a lightsaber without chopping off limbs, although it does sting a bit."

"Okay," Ter'viro said. "Thanks for the help."

"Of course," Mau'te said. "Let's begin."

Four hours later, Mako dropped to the ground, begging for a break.

"We might do better if you held back," she said.

"He is," Ter'viro said.

"That's holding back?" Mako said. "But he's like really, really good, right? There's a lot of talk about him on the Imperial net. Everyone says he's really good." Everyone stared at her. "I did it again, didn't I?"

"I won't hold it against you," Mau'te said.

"Oh, good. There's a lot of talk from female officers saying-" She saw Vette's reaction. "Stuff I'm not going to talk about."

"Think we have a chance?" Ter'viro asked.

"I do," Mau'te said. "Your instructors were right. You _are_ good at this, but a lightsaber is a very unforgiving weapon. One lucky hit, and I lose my cousin. Remain on guard at all times to all things."

"You mentioned that few dozen times," Mako said.

"So I did. I think I've done as much as I can in the time you've got. Best of luck."

Vette gave Mako a quick hug before she and Ter'viro drove off.

"What's wrong with her?" Mau'te asked.

"She's a little intense sometimes," Vette said. "But she's brilliant. Really."

Mau'te looked at her. "You know what I meant. I could tell by the way you were watching her."

"Did you sense it?" Vette said.

"A little. Mostly, I noticed in her combat reactions."

"She doesn't want your cousin to know, so I'm not telling."

"Very well," Mau'te said. "I will respect her privacy."

"It weirds me out when you act like a decent guy."

"Do you want me to strangle some nexu kittens on the way home?" he asked.

"No, I'm good."

"You never ate your breakfast."

"I wonder why," she said.

"I am not that bad! I'm better than my mother."

"How bad is your mother?"

He pointed a finger at her, trying to think of something to say, then pointed at the speeder. She climbed into her seat, and stared out the window while he drove. That was the second time he'd been a decent... Third time he'd been... Fourth time... Never mind. He was still a Sith Lord.


	16. The Smuggler 1

"Don't cross that line, or the turrets will kill me!" the Mirialan woman said.

Xal and Corso stopped at the thick red line dividing the room from the corridor. Xal saw four turrets, two aimed at the doorway and two aimed at the Mirialan. He guessed at least two more turrets were around the corners of the doorway. The turrets had been bolted in place, quick and ugly, and fixed with electric eyes.

"Been monitoring you on the security network," the woman said. "You sure know how to make an entrance."

"Are you Kixi?" Xal asked.

"Short for Kixiaralu. You... you came here for me?"

"Relax," Xal said with his best smile. "I'm not here to hurt you. Captain Xaldiba Onoka, ma'am, at your service."

"Is there any chance you could free me? Because I'm definitely ready to not be here." Her eyes echoed her words, not innocent exactly, but hurt and strained. "The Guild locked me up two years ago. Forced me to work for them. I'll do anything to get out."

"You might want to rephrase that, ma'am," Corso said.

Xal gave Corso a look.

"I'm looking for a gutter-slime named Skavak," Xal said.

Kixi groaned. "I _knew_ that Corellian pig-lizard Skavak had ticked off the wrong person. No wonder he was in such a hurry. Skavak paid the guild to clean his identity record. They made me slice into the Republic's main database and delete all his arrest warrants."

"You can do that?" Xal asked.

"It's what I do," Kixi said. "The Republic administrators never even knew I was there."

"No wonder Skavak gets around so easily," Xal said. "Nobody's chasing him but me."

Kixi said, "He mentioned some Sullustan lawman giving him trouble. That's all I know. Now, can you get me out of here?"

"I've got a few ideas," Xal said, flashing her another smile. "They threw this together fast. They needed something autonomous with facial recognition and adaptation subroutines." Corso stared at the captain. "They must have used a droid brain."

"I figured that out," Kixi said. "But I can't get to it."

"But I can," Xal said. "It must be behind one of the panels in this corridor." He took an ion grenade from his belt and held it up. "If I can find it, I can fry it."

"That's nice," Kixi said. "But they'll fire on me if you try it."

Xal smiled again. "Corso, give me your barrier shield." Xal took his shield modules from his belt and accepted the modules from Corso. "Have you seen these before?"

"I've heard about them," Kixi said.

"Two will make a wall; four will make a box," Xal said. "It's not very big, though."

"I don't take up much space." Kixi stared at the modules like water in a desert.

"While I'm looking for the cognitive module, you put Skavak's record back."

"Easy enough," Kixi said. "Anything else?"

Xal thought for a moment and said, "Frame him as an undercover Republic law enforcement agent."

"You really hate him, don't you?" Kixi said. "How do I know you won't just kill me when I'm done?"

Xal said, "That's not the kind of gun I like to use on a pretty lady."

Kixi smiled. "You're sweet in a sleazy kind of way."

"I get that a lot." He took a scanner from a jacket pocket. "Now get to work on Skavak."

Xal started on the nearest wall, filtering out the power cable signal, internal circuitry, and Kixi's net connection, until he isolated the faint droid control wires. He read the signal in the wires, verifying the droid personality patterns, and started tracing them to their source, two of the turrets tracking his every move.

"Couldn't we just cut the wires?" Corso asked.

Xal shook his head. "It'll have redundant wiring and a wireless backup."

He followed the signal back three sections of wall and up to the ceiling. The scanner spiked, showing an independent power supply. He put away the scanner and pulled out a magnetic grapple.

"How much stuff do you carry, Captain?" Corso asked.

"A few necessities," Xal said. "Take the shield modules, and get ready to slide them to Kixi." He waited until Corso was in place, then fired the grapple at the ceiling panel. The turrets watched but didn't fire. Good. They didn't know where their brain was located. Xal attached the grapple cord to his belt and let it pull him to the ceiling. He put shaped micro charges near each bolt and dropped to the floor. "How's it going, Kixi?"

"All done," she said. "The minute he passes an identity checkpoint, it'll trigger an alarm. What about you?"

"I've set the panel to blow," Xal said. "I don't know what will happen when we slide you the shield modules. They're unapproved objects but not weapons. But, you're valuable to the Guild. I think the droid is programmed to kill you when it must, not for every little infraction. Crouch down. If I'm wrong, you'll need to put up that shield fast."

Xal nodded to Corso. His First Mate slid the modules toward Kixi. The turrets immediately tracked the modules but didn't fire. They stopped near Kixi's feet, and she reached for them.

"I wouldn't touch them just yet," Xal said. "Here's the plan; I'm sure the turrets will start firing when the shield goes up. You'll activate the shield, Corso will blow off the panel, and I'll throw the grenade. It's magnetic. We don't need to worry about it sticking. The droid will try to reboot fast. While it's doing that, Corso and I will blow it to shit."

"That'll be it?" Kixi asked.

"For the turrets, yes," Xal said. "But, do you remember when you said 'anything'?"

"Yes," Kixi said cautiously.

Xal said, "I'll have another job for you when I get my ship back."

"I'm all yours, Captain," Kixi replied.

"Really, ma'am," Corso said.

Xal gave him another look.

Corso took the detonator from Xal, and the two moved into position behind a couple of support struts. Xal set his blaster pistols to overcharge, armed the grenade, and nodded to Kixi. She curled up as small as she could and activated the shield modules. The modules maneuvered into place around her, and the remote tops separated from the bases and rose up, creating four shield walls between them. They stopped about ten centimeters above Kixi's head and formed a fifth shield section above her, the box forming faster than the turrets could respond. Even so, four turrets fired on Kixi and two more fired down the corridor. So far so good, but the shield wouldn't last long under that assault. Corso hit the detonator button, the panel blew out, and Xaldiba threw the ion grenade into the center of the smoke. Blue lightning exploded in the corridor, and the turrets shut down. Xal and Corso fired into the open panel and continued firing until the sparking stopped.

Kixi dropped the shield cautiously. No firing. She jumped up, ran to Xal and hugged him. "Thank you! You're my hero!" She kissed Corso on the cheek. "You too. Now, I got to go before they lock this place down."

"How am I going to find you?" Xal asked.

"You said 'ship', right?" Kixi said. "Trust me, I'll want to be found." She looked down the corridor. "I won't mind a bit if you kill some more of those Guild thugs on your way out." She turned and started running.

Xal and Corso followed after her. As they approached the main base, the heard blaster fire and something else.

Corso said, "Does that sound like a lightsaber?"

"Yes, it does," Xal said.

A moment later, they heard Kixi scream, and they started running. They found a group of freshly dead thugs and Kixi cowering in a corner. Agenord stood over her with his lightsaber out. Teeseven was next to him with his shock arm aimed at her.

"Agenord, don't!" Xaldiba yelled.

"Xal. Corso. Friend of yours?" the Jedi asked in a calm voice and deactivated his saber.

Teeseven whistled at the sight of Xal and Corso and retracted his shock arm.

"You know him?" Kixi said to Xal.

"He's my cousin," Xal said.

Kixi's jaw dropped.

"Don't worry," Agenord said. "I was going to interrogate you."

"With a lightsaber?" she said.

"It makes the interrogation go faster," Agenord replied and helped her up.

"Right," Kixi said. "What if more Guild guys show up?"

"I didn't leave any," Agenord said.

Kixi stared at him and said, "Oh. Shit."

"What do you do here?" Agenord asked.

"I was a prisoner," Kixi said. "Xal and Corso got me out."

"Why would the Merchant's Guild want you as a prisoner?" Agenord asked.

"Well," Kixi said. "I... uh... did some..."

"She's a data slicer," Xal said.

Kixi glared at him.

"Tell him what he wants to know, Kixi," Xal said. "Agenord doesn't get easy jobs. He's probably saving the planet."

"Not all of it," Agenord said.

"Right," Kixi said. "What do you want to know?"

"Did you try to slice a high security memory card about three hours ago?" Agenord asked.

"Shit," Kixi said. "Yeah, Czost Mej, one of my regular handlers, brought that to me."

"Did he know it had an alarm?"

"No," Kixi said. "He freaked out and took off."

"Did you know?"

Kixi nodded. "Of course. I was hoping Coruscant Security would show up not a big, scary Jedi. I wanted them to get me out of here."

Agenord thought for a moment. "I'm guessing the Guild doesn't advertise their slicer is a prisoner." Kixi shook her head. "Whoever gave the Guild that card wanted me to kill you." He turned to Xaldiba. "We need to do something about that."

"Kixi," Xal said. "You need to play dead for a while."

"How long?" she asked.

"Until Agenord says it's okay."

"Kixi, do you know if anyone else tried to slice that card?" Agenord asked.

"Any attempt would have set off the alarm," she told him.

"What if they used an isolated computer?"

She shook her head. "It had a built-in transmitter."

"How strong was the security?"

She shrugged. "Military grade. It would have taken a while."

Agenord nodded. "Where can I find Czost Mej?"

"Sorry. I never had to look that up." She looked at Xal. "Where do I hide?"

"I've got an idea," Xal said. "And no one will look for you there." He looked at Agenord. "If you make the call."

"Oh, yes," Agenord said. "I'll do that."

Xal said, "Kixi, does this place have a back door?"

"They didn't really give me a tour," she said.

Agenord said, "I can do something about it, Xal, if you show me where."

Xal took out his scanner, located his target, and motioned them to follow. He led them past the array of bodies down to the lower levels of the base. They stopped near one of the docks, grabbed a speeder bike, and continued down. They reached a warehouse section, and Xal scanned along an outer wall. He stopped and pointed at a section. Agenord waved the others back, and cut a large section from the wall with his lightsaber. He stepped back and pulled the cutout section into the room with the Force. It flew ten meters and screeched across the floor to a stop.

"Show off," Xal said. He maneuvered the speeder into the opening. "Tell her sector cresh sixty-two, level one-fifty-three, near the yirt shaped pipe bridge."

"Got it," Agenord said. "And, Xal, stay out of the sky until I tell you it's safe."

Xaldiba stared at him then nodded.

Corso said, "I was hoping to go with you, Captain."

Xal shook his head and climbed onto the speeder. "This is a difficult tunnel to negotiate. I don't have time to it teach you. Sorry. Kixi." He nodded at the speeder, and she climbed on behind him. "I'll meet you back at the hotel. If anyone asks, I'm out with a girl."

"No one's asked for a week, Captain."

"Fair enough. Kixi, hold tight, keep your head down, and try not to throw up."

"What?" she asked.

Xal flew through the hole, turned sharply, and dove straight down, missing three pipes he shouldn't have been able to see. After diving a hundred or so levels, he made another impossible turn that had Kixi clinging hard enough to bruise him. He flew into a jet-black opening and finally turned on his light.

"Did you throw up?" he asked.

"Not..." She took a breath. "Yet."

"That wasn't the last of it, but that was the worst of it."

She took another breath. "Good to know." She let the rushing air cool her a bit. "I believe you, by the way."

"About what?"

"Your cousin. No one sends a guy like that on a milk run."

"Yeah. He's been known to leave a mess."

"Where are we headed?" Kixi asked. "And, who is 'her'? And, cresh sixty-two? That's near-"

"The Republic base," Xal finished. "My sister is a lieutenant in the Republic military. I don't know anyone who would look for you there."

"Including me," Kixi said. "Sorry. You're doing a lot to help me. Forget what Corso said. I owe you anything and everything."

"Relax," Xal said. "I just need you to check my ship's computer. I want you to make sure Skavak didn't leave anything nasty behind."

"That's for saving me the first time," she said. "What do you want for this one?"

"Let me think about it," he said. "I might have a couple of ideas."

"I haven't dated for two years," she told him.

"I might have five or six ideas."

"When you get to ten, I'm ready to listen." She looked around. "Where are we?"

"Abandoned maintenance tunnel. No one has used it for a century."

"Why haven't they reclaimed it?" Kixi asked.

"Bureaucracy and arguments over jurisdiction. Hold tight." He made another sharp dive and a quick turn.

She clung to his back and whimpered, but she didn't throw up.

"What was Corso upset about?" she asked.

"He's got a thing for my sister," Xal said. "He wanted to see her again."

"Will she be okay with this?"

"She will if Agenord asks," Xal said. "Not so much if I ask."

"The trooper doesn't get along with her smuggler brother?"

"I know. It's a shock."

He made a quick left and a right and entered a very tight tunnel. Kixi lowered her head and pressed against Xal's back. She'd run out of questions. Now she was stuck with her situation. Prisoner had been bad; loose end was worse, especially with that memory card. High-end, military grade, SIS level security. She would have needed a week to get into it, if that was even possible. Any job that needed a card like that or a guy like Agenord was a job she wanted to escape.

"We have three more rough turns, and then it's smooth," Xal said.

"Sounds good," she said. Kixi didn't deserve a tenth of what he was doing. Xal needed a little payback. "Tell your cousin I've sliced military data before."

"I will."

They hit the first of the three turns. Kixi groaned a little, but she was fine.

"I don't think that card was made to be used," she continued. "A card like that is designed to catch a slicer. It had too much security. I don't know if anyone could get data off of it, not even the original owner."

"Why didn't you tell Agenord?"

"He'd ask about the other data I sliced, and he scares me."

"He's like that."

They hit the second turn.

"I appreciate what you're doing. I really mean that."

He nodded.

After the last turn, she said, "Hold up a minute."

He stopped the speeder and turned to look at her.

"If the computer is on your ship, that means you'll be getting me off of Coruscant."

"I figured you'd want that."

"I do," she said. "I meant it before. If you get me off Coruscant safe..." Her voice dropped to a whisper. " _Everything_ I have is yours."

He gave her a quick kiss. "I'll have more than ten ideas." He turned back to the tunnel, and she settled in, nuzzling his back.

After twenty minutes, they exited the smaller tunnels into a main line with slow moving, brackish water beneath them. The smell from it did more to Kixi's stomach than the turns, but she kept everything down. The followed the main line for another hour and finally reached a bridge over a large split pipe. A tall, Twi'lek soldier waited on the bridge next to a speeder bike. Xal pulled up next to her and stopped the speeder. Kixi tried to say something, realized she wouldn't make it, and ran to the railing.

"Thank you for waiting," Xal said.

Kixi nodded and raised a thumb and waited for more.

"Is she the package?" the soldier asked.

Xal said, "Kixi, my sister Cyr'rnin."

Kixi waved and gasped for breath.

"Kixi was helping me find the guy who stole my ship," Xal said. "Then Agenord showed up, and things got Agenord level complicated. Kixi needs to hide until he's done doing what he does."

"I understand," Cyr'rnin said. "I need to tell Sergeant Jorgan."

"Is he that Cathar?"

Cyr'rnin nodded. "I trust him with my life, so I trust him with hers. Any idea how bad this is?"

Xal shrugged and said, "Agenord told me to stay out of the sky for a while."

"Right. Kixi," Cyr'rnin said. "Are you about done?"

She nodded and turned around.

Cyr'rnin looked Kixi up and down. "I'm sure it's for the good of the Republic."

"That's the spirit," Xal said and mounted his speeder. "Kixi, play nice with my sister." He took off before she could respond.

Kixi said to Cyr'rnin, "Thanks. A lot. Really. A lot."

"Agenord wouldn't ask if it wasn't important."

"He's kind of scary," Kixi said.

"He's... focused." Cyr'rnin climbed on her speeder and waited for Kixi.

"That's a good way of saying it." Kixi mounted behind Cyr'rnin. "I like your brother better. He's... you know..., but he's a decent guy."

"He is sometimes, but he hides it behind all that other stuff."

Kixi wrapped her arms around Cyr'rnin. "I got the decent guy today. That's all that matters."

"You're right," Cyr'rnin said, turning the speeder toward the Republic base. "It is." She took off.


	17. The Warrior 3

Vette and Mau'te rode one of the large, external lifts towards the middle Lords levels. Mau'te didn't wear his normal crisp clothes but a looser tunic, more like an acolyte's.

"A hideous Sith Lord was a bad cliche'," he'd told her once and did everything he could to prove it. He couldn't afford much on his Apprentice salary, but what he got was always clean and sharp. All straight lines and hard edges, he wore them like a second skin he refused to shed. The current tunic, on the other hand, clung to his torso and showed off his muscles.

Vette pushed those thoughts down. Only surface thoughts could be read, he'd told her. Keep them scattered. Your real thoughts must be an impression, not a clear voice.

"You're nervous," he said.

"Reading me again?" Vette asked.

"No," Mau'te said. "You've obviously been practicing, but you're acting nervous."

She watched him for a while and said, "I just don't understand why you didn't want me here. I've watched you spar before."

"I told you," he said. "I don't think you'll like Lord Hexid."

On the Lord's level, the ceilings were higher, the walls were cleaner, and the apprentices were more contemptuous. They scowled carefully in Mau'te's direction and gritted their teeth. He'd already beaten most of their masters, and they knew it.

"Is it just me," Vette said, trying to cover the tension, "Or does every apprentice use a double-bladed lightsaber?"

"They have become popular," Mau'te replied. "They are more effective against multiple melee opponents but less effective against blaster fire." He nodded at the other apprentices. "They expect to fight a lot of Jedi. However, blaster fire is far more common than another Force sensitive. The single-bladed, two-handed saber is the most effective against blasters, and it's the most versatile overall. Only the stealth types really need the double-bladed saber."

"What do the spikes do?" she asked.

He leaned close and whispered, "Nothing. They're a crutch for weak swordsmen. They're more likely to damage you than your opponent."

They reached their destination and rang the door. It opened, and they heard the sweep of a lightsaber in the distance.

"Enter!" a woman yelled.

Mau'te and Vette found the Zabrak Sith Lord slashing at holographic Jedi with a double-bladed lightsaber. She was barefoot, dressed in tight exercise clothes and covered in sweat. She finished off her last two enemies, deactivated her saber, and turned toward them. Hexid was a little taller than Vette and a little flatter. She had hard muscles, hard eyes, and a dangerous grin.

"So, you're the apprentice of Darth Baras?" She smiled at Mau'te. "I loathe Baras." She waited for a response. "No reaction?"

"Why would there be?" Mau'te said.

Hexid barked a laugh.

"Double-bladed," Vette said.

Hexid looked at Vette as if surprised she were there.

"She asked about them," Mau'te said. "I told her they were less effective against blasters."

"Quite right!" Hexid said. "I never waste my time with common troops. I go straight for the Jedi." She grinned again. "Now tell me, why should I accept your challenge?"

"I'm very good," Mau'te said.

Hexid looked him up and down and back up again. "Take off your shirt, and I'll consider it."

Mau'te dropped the simple shirt revealing muscles harder than Hexid's. Vette looked away and tried to think of something else.

Hexid smiled and said, "I've considered it." She exchanged her lightsaber for a training saber. She walked to the far end of the practice area and waited.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Mau'te asked.

Hexid gave him a look that had nothing to do with swordplay and removed her top. Vette gasped and looked away.

"What about this one?" Hexid said, giving Vette a similar look. "Is she going to watch or participate?"

"You may go if you wish," Mau'te said.

Vette nodded and left quickly. Outside the door, she whispered, "Asshole," and headed toward the lift. She stopped for a moment and took a few breaths, holding it in. "'Do you want to watch or participate?'" she said, starting again. "I don't want to watch your skanky ass. I don't know what you're talking about. Watch or participate. I don't need to watch something like that. I don't know what-"

"It's not that bad," the assassin said.

Vette hit the wall, gasping for breath.

"Are you part ghost?!"

"Not as far as I know," the assassin answered.

Vette leaned against the wall, waiting for her heartrate to drop. "Why are you here?"

"To tell you it's not that bad."

Vette finally had a good look at her. The assassin was shorter than Vette, flatter, thinner, a hundred times scarier.

"Why?" Vette said.

She put a hand on Vette's arm. "You were thinking of leaving. I'd rather you didn't."

"How-?"

The assassin smiled. "As Lord Zash says, 'precognitives make the best assassins.'"

"You knew all of... this?"

"More of an impression."

"Why do you care?" Vette asked. "Why do you want me here? Why do you want me with him? I thought you wanted him for yourself."

"My interest is political," the assassin said. "But I need to know I can trust Lord Mau'te. I think you help him with that."

"It doesn't seem like it."

The assassin smiled again. "A man like Lord Mau'te needs a challenge. Hexid is not his kind of challenge. I promise."

Vette shrugged and noticed the assassin's lightsaber. "So you know, he says spikes are a crutch for weak swordsmen."

The assassin held in a laugh. "I'm not surprised Lord Mau'te has a severe view of lightsaber design. They're not spikes; they're fins, and they're an artistic addition."

"Oh. It's kind of cool looking, I guess."

"Thank you. And please wait a bit. At least until your first real mission."

"Another impression?"

The assassin shook her head. "Familiarity. I've studied Lord Mau'te for a long time."

"That sounds kind of creepy," Vette said.

"I suppose it does," the assassin said with that same odd smile.

Vette shrugged. "They'd probably chase me if I ran."

"Chase you and execute you."

Vette looked back towards Hexid's quarters and sighed nodded.

"Excellent," the assassin said.

"Did you send my instructor?"

"I did," the assassin said. "She speaks well of you."

"Thanks," Vette said. She looked back towards Hexid's again and thought about Mau'te and Dromund Kaas and the Empire. She turned back, and the assassin was gone. "I really hate her." She sighed and returned home.

* * *

"Vette," Mau'te called out, entering their apartment. "I have dinner. If you want it."

Vette came out of her room with a strange look.

"Are you hungry?" Mau'te asked.

"I got a message from Mako."

"I heard," Mau'te said. "I heard about Fraabaal's daughter, anyway."

"Ter'viro is in the hospital."

Mau'te dropped the food on the table and said, "Let's go."

"We can't be seen with them," Vette said.

"You're the stealthy one. Make sure we're not."

Once they reached the hospital, Mau'te headed straight for the front door. Vette grabbed his arm and pulled him back.

"Do you want stealthy or not?" she said.

Vette searched the building quickly, looking at entrances, exits, and security cameras, until she found what she needed. She guided Mau'te to a security exit, locked from the inside. Mau'te reached for his lightsaber, and Vette pushed his arm back. She took a tool kit from her jacket, attached a probe to the lock, and scanned the lock for the power signal. She redirected the power for a moment, and the lock clicked open. Mau'te grabbed the door before the lock reset. Once inside, she pulled him to an alcove hidden from the cameras.

"What?" she asked.

He was looking at her strangely.

"Nothing," he said.

"Wait here," she told him.

She left for a long few minutes. She returned, motioned him to follow, and took him on a careful route to a maintenance door. She showed him a service lift with a worker nearby.

"I don't know what to do about him," Vette said.

"I do," Mau'te replied and walked toward the worker.

"My Lord," the worker said. "You shouldn't be-"

"You didn't see us," Mau'te said with a wave of his hand.

"I... I didn't see you," the worker replied.

"Call the lift," Mau'te said.

The worker tapped the lift control with is security pin.

"Go on about your business," Mau'te said.

"Excuse me," the worker said. "I need to get back to work."

Mau'te and Vette entered the lift, and Vette pushed one of the floor buttons.

"I thought that was a Jedi thing," Vette said.

"Jedi use it more often," he said. "But we're capable of it. It has quite a few uses, in fact."

"I'll bet," Vette said.

He gave her a sour look. "Some enjoy that fetish, but I have never needed it."

They reached Ter'viro's floor, and stealth and mind trick got them to the door unnoticed.

Mau'te put a hand on the door and said, "It's just them."

They found Ter'viro in bed, his feet hanging over the end. His back and sides were covered with light bandages. Mako sat next to the bed, scowling at Ter'viro.

"You shouldn't be here," Ter'viro said.

"We weren't noticed," Mau'te replied.

Mako slapped Ter'viro's shoulder and said, "Dummy."

"What happened?" Vette asked.

"Force lightening," Mau'te said. "Not much power to it or much accuracy. He got lucky."

"We won," Ter'viro said.

"I know," Mau'te said. "Brought her back alive. The Admiral has been complaining about his daughter all day. He won't say how he got her back, but he won't talk about anything else. Congratulations. You made a very powerful man very happy."

Ter'viro shrugged.

Mako slapped Ter'viro's shoulder again and said, "Dummy." She shook the sting out of her fingers.

"Mako?" Vette said.

"Do you know what he did?" Mako said.

"You jumped in front of the lightening, didn't you?" Mau'te said to Ter'viro.

Ter'viro shrugged.

"Why did you do that?" Mako said.

"I had more armor," Ter'viro said.

"I had armor. Some armor. Enough armor. He said it wasn't that powerful. I could have taken it. I'm your partner. You're not supposed to do that." Mako scowled at him again.

Ter'viro shrugged.

Mau'te sighed. "I thought you learned your lesson after the yarra pups." Vette and Mako looked at Mau'te. "It's how he got the scar on his jaw."

Mako said, "You said that was a knife from a bounty."

Ter'viro said, "Sounded cooler."

"No," Mau'te said. "A very enthusiastic yarra pup."

Ter'viro shrugged. "I saved Nina."

"You did not save Nina," Mau'te replied. "His older sister Nin'nussil. She's always had more sense and more agility. It never would have gotten near her."

"Yeah," Ter'viro said. "Probably."

"Dummy," Mako said and slapped Ter'viro's shoulder again.

Mau'te held in a smile and said, "We should go. I wanted to make sure you were all right. Obviously, you are and in excellent hands."

"Just so you know," Mako said. "I'm going to keep hitting him."

"You're hitting me?" Ter'viro said.

"Yes, I'm hitting you." Mako slapped his shoulder again.

Ter'viro said, "Oh, that's what that was."

"Yeah, that's what that was," Mako said. "So, don't do that again."

"It worked," Ter'viro said.

"I don't care," Mako said.

Mau'te and Vette looked at each other and left quietly. They heard Mako through the door, still ranting and the two of them nearly burst out laughing. They held it in until Vette's stealth got them to a different lift, then they laughed for a dozen floors.

"I like her," Mau'te said.

"I like your cousin," Vette replied.

"For him or what he did?"

"Both," Vette said. "I just hope Mako doesn't scare him off."

" _Scare_ him?" Mau'te said.

"Mako can be scary sometimes."

"No," he said. "Ter'viro's mother is scary. Mako's a kitten."

"Oh," Vette said with a smile. "Now I really like him."

"Good job getting us in, by the way," Mau'te said. "You're as skilled as you said."

"I thought I proved that."

He shook his head. "Most places won't be like the tomb. You've given me more valuable proof."

"I might faint from the compliments," she said.

"I'll catch you."

"I've recovered." She looked away from him and pushed her thoughts down. Way, way down.

* * *

Four hours later, Mako still sat next to Ter'viro, scowling as he slept.

"Dummy," she whispered.

A Twi'lek nurse entered, so quietly Mako almost didn't hear her. She checked Ter'viro's vitals and put a hand on Mako's shoulder.

"Visiting hours are over," the nurse whispered. "It's all right. He'll be released tomorrow."

Mako nodded and stood up.

"If he wakes up, tell him he's a dummy," she said.

"I will, miss," the nurse replied.

Mako left quietly.

The agent watched Mako leave, shook her head, and held in a laugh. She leaned over Ter'viro, whispered, "You dumbass," kissed his forehead, and left him to sleep.


	18. The Consular 3

"You want to go down on me," Yvie said to the Republic lieutenant. She had found an isolated bathroom in the Senate library and decided to make use of it. The bathroom even had fairly comfortable chair. She sat down and pushed down her slacks.

"I... I want to go... to go down on you," the human replied. He knelt down in front of her and began to work.

Yvie leaned back and sighed. "You're very good. Do you have a girlfriend?"

"Yes," he said.

"It shows." She ran her fingers through his hair. "You must keep her very happy."

"Yes, Master Jedi," he said and continued working.

"Yvisnusiish," she told him.

"Yes, Master... Jedi."

She rolled her eyes and let him work. After a couple of climaxes, she said, "You can stop now."

"Yes, Master Jedi," he said with a nod.

"You want to forget all about this."

"I want to forget all about this," he said.

"You want to clean up and go back to work."

He nodded. "I want to clean up and go back to work."

She waited for him to leave then freshened up and followed him out. She returned to the Medical Center. Attros Finn and Pharen approached as soon as they saw her.

Attros said, "Was Lieutenant Danoo able to help you?"

"A little," Yvie replied. "Mostly I needed a break from the bickering."

"Of course, Master... Jedi."

"Yvisnusiish," Pharen whispered to him.

"Right," the Mirialan said. "Anyway, we have good news. Pharen has a lead on the second Noetikon."

"My sister works at the Silent Sun cantina," Pharen said. "She says the Black Sun has turned the cantina's back rooms into some secret warehouse. She said they're bringing in ancient tech. She thought she saw Jedi markings on them."

"Your sister knows Jedi markings?" Yvie asked.

Pharen shrugged. "Most people on Coruscant know the markings from the Temple, and smuggling Jedi artifacts is big business."

Yvie nodded. "Thank you, Pharen, and thank your sister. I'll shut down their operation and recover the artifacts. If they have the Noetikon, I'll get it from them."

"I'll give you directions to the Silent Sun cantina," Pharen said. "Please, be careful. Those Black Sun gangsters are vicious."

Yvie smiled. "I'm more vicious. Qyzen! Time to hunt."

Qyzen looked up from Master Yuon's bed and bared his teeth in a grin.

"Before you go," Attros said. "Senator Oranda has requested the help of any Jedi going to the Black Sun area. The Gree need help repairing the hydrosupply. It's likely the Black Sun are preventing repairs."

"Water pipes?" Yvie said.

"Yes," Attros said. "They supply fresh water to the entire area. They're very important."

"Oh. Sure. Water pipes. Okay, I'll talk to the Senator."

* * *

Pipes, Yvie thought as the taxi settled onto the landing pad. Pipes. She surveyed the open area beneath the platform. Black Sun thugs hid behind their barricades and fired on Coruscant Security, desperate to keep this dirty, half ruined block of buildings. And she had to fix their pipes. Some idiot took a shot at her, but she deflected it away and walked to the Lieutenant in charge.

"Master Jedi," he said. "Lieutenant Doorn, currently in charge of this shit-show. Please tell me you're here to help."

"I need to get to the Black Sun territory, Lieutenant. What happened here?"

"Someone supplied the Black Sun with new weapons," he told her. "They attacked a few days ago and captured the lower platform. They're trying to take the upper platform now. It's all we can do to hold them back."

"Any idea who gave them the weapons?" Yvie asked.

"No," Doorn said. "But, they're military grade. If they get the upper platform, we won't have a way to land troops. They'll capture two city blocks."

She surveyed the Black Sun troops, picking out the weakest points.

"What's that over there?" She pointed to more fighting opposite the main platform. Attackers stood in a doorway two barricades wide fired from behind a portable shield generator.

"Former medical center," Doorn said. "They took it a while ago."

"Then we take it back," Yvie said. "Or we'll never survive. Once we have that as a base, we can take back your platform."

"Yes, ma'am," Doorn said.

"Get your men ready," Yvie said. "And, Qyzen, time to score some points."

Qyzen grinned.

"Master Jedi," Doorn said, "This is Sergeant Stansun. He and his men are all I can spare, but they're the best I've got."

Yvie looked at the sergeant and the five officers behind him. Stern, professional, ready to fight. She liked them. This was going to be fun.

Yvie said, "Lieutenant, I'll take care of the men in the doorway, and you give us some cover fire on the way in."

"Yes, ma'am," he replied.

The elevators to the upper platform had been disabled, leaving only an access ramp to reach the lower level. Coruscant security held the ramp but nothing past it. Fortunately, the doorway was close to the end of the ramp. Yvie scanned the area, spotted some debris that would serve her purpose, and she and the others headed down. When they reached the bottom of the ramp, she signaled to Doorn, and the cover fire started. She threw a large piece of debris at the doorway, crushing the portable shield generator, and followed it with smaller pieces that cut through the defenders like shrapnel. Immediately, she ignited her saber, leapt over the defenses on the ramp and ran at the doorway, blocking blaster fire on the way. She jumped over the barricades and struck down any defenders still alive. Then, she turned down the hallway, blocking more blaster fire and throwing debris at the new attackers. She had them down by a third by the time Qyzen and the security team arrived to finish them off.

"Well done," she said to the men. "Now, let's gut this place."

They charged the Black Sun like they were a hundred strong. Yvie and Qyzen cut through anyone they saw, Qyzen grinning the whole time, and the security men fired on anyone that raised a weapon. Yvie felt as one with her lightsaber, more than she ever had in class, cutting through a strong enemy with ease. They captured or killed every Black Sun there and didn't lose a single man. And she didn't need to use it once. She pulled her saber from a battle droid, gasping but not from exhaustion. If she had the time, she'd give one of those security men a real thank-you. That was a pipe she'd be happy to clean.

Another contingent of security arrived while Stansun and his men were separating the wounded from the dead. The sergeant must have told Doorn they won.

"Did you see that Twi'lek Jedi cutting through people?" one of the new men said.

You got that right, Yvie thought.

"The one with the orange lightsaber?" the other man replied.

Oh. It figures.

Agenord and Teeseven entered the first room ready for a fight.

"Yvie, Qyzen, I thought it was you," Agenord said. "Did you capture the clinic?"

"We did," Yvie said.

Qyzen added, "We scored many points today."

"Good job," Agenord told him.

"Master Jedi," Stansun said to Agenord with a salute. "With two of you, we'll have no problem taking the lower platform."

"I already did that," Agenord said.

No shit, Yvie thought.

"Is the clinic operational?" Agenord continued.

"We believe so, sir," Stansun said.

"Excellent. Command will be sending medical droids. Yvie, what brings you to Black Sun territory?"

These were _my_ men, Agenord.

"I'm recovering Jedi artifacts to help Master Yuon," she told him. "And I need to repair some pipes."

"Pipes?" he asked.

"Really important pipes."

"I believe you," Agenord said. "They wouldn't send you here for nothing. Sergeant, I think you have things under control. Doorn will send in more troops as needed. Yvie, we need to push past that first platform and set up a defense on the far side of the access ramp."

"Of course," she said. "And, Sergeant, I'd like to thank you and your men for your hard work."

"Yes, ma'am," he replied.

Once they were out of earshot, Agenord said, "Have you been using it?"

"Not for something like this," she replied.

"True, but how's the training?"

"Not easy," she said. "It's something that likes to work on its own, and street thugs really aren't a challenge for it."

"I'm sure things will get more challenging," he told her.

Not if you steal the best fights, she thought.

They met Doorn back on the lower platform, setting up a defensive line.

"Master Jedi," he said to them. "What else do you need?"

Agenord told him, "We need to punch through and get into Black Sun territory, and I want some of those weapon crates. I want SIS to look at them."

"It'll be tough holding anything past the bottleneck," Doorn said.

"You don't need to," Agenord said. "Grab the crates and pull back. Give us some cover fire to get past this line of troops and into the main tower. Once we're through, we're on our own."

"Yes, sir," Doorn said.

The Black Sun, still wary from Agenord's previous assault, put up a weak effort and retreated at the sight of two Jedi. They tried to take the weapons with them, but security managed to capture three cases. The Black Sun left combat droids to cover their escape, but Agenord and Yvie cut through them easily. Technically, they had the Black Sun platform cleared but didn't have the troops to hold it.

"Are you good?" Agenord asked Yvie.

"Of course," she said.

"I need to find someone before he runs again. I'll contact you if I need any help." And he took off.

Yvie shook her head. Was he ever _not_ in a hurry?

She and Qyzen slashed their way through a few Black Sun stragglers and into the Coruscant Heights Apartments. Combat thinned after that. The Black Sun plan was to hold the landing platforms. They didn't have the numbers to watch an entire tower. Yvie and Qyzen reached the Silent Sun without much trouble. Two guards stood in front of a door to a back room.

Yvie rolled her eyes. No, nothing weird about that.

"Damn, you're hot for a Jedi," one of them said when she approached. "I got a hilt you could grab."

"No Jedi," the other guard said.

Yvie waved her hand, and their heads slammed back into the wall, knocking them out. She and Qyzen stepped over them into the back room. They found a doctor and two assistants cutting into a struggling patient.

"Hold him down!" the doctor said. He looked up. "I said no one back here while I'm- A Jedi?"

"What's going on?" Yvie asked.

"I'm trying to save his life! I have too many patients and not enough anesthetic. Unless you can help, get out of the way."

Yvie reached the patient, put her hands on his head, and said, "Sleep." His struggling weakened, his groans turned to whimpers, and his eyes fluttered shut. "He'll be out for an hour," she said.

The doctor thanked her and continued operating, eventually pulling a Jedi data disk from the patient's stomach. He snarled at it in disgust, threw it into a bin filled with more bloody artifacts, and started sewing up his patient.

"What's a Jedi doing here?" he said, still sewing.

Yvie said, "This gang has something I need."

"Those Black Sun thugs," he said. "They call me in to clean up a botched operation, and I find this! They're smuggling contraband offworld- old Jedi junk, data discs- inside people's bodies!"

"It's not junk," she said. "It's Jedi artifacts, and we need them."

"You can have them!" the doctor said. "Help me like you did before, and you can have all of it."

For the next two hours, she helped. Near the end, he pulled the Noetikon from one of the men and threw it toward the bin. Yvie stopped it in mid air and pulled it to her.

"I need this right away," she said. "I'll send someone else for the rest."

"If you can get past the Black Sun," he said.

"That's not a problem," she told him.

After the last of the artifacts was removed, he promised to keep them safe for her.

"Of course, Doctor Maer," Yvie said. "And tell the Black Sun that the Jedi are watching."

She cleaned off the Noetikon, found a secluded area and conversed with the ancient masters. They offered little help, but the "dark secrets" of the next Noetikon might be interesting.

On her way out of the cantina, she heard someone say, "Did you see that Twi'lek Jedi out there?"

Orange lightsaber again? she thought.

"The one with the huge tits?" his companion said.

Yeah. That's right. Best in the Order.

"I wouldn't mind being arrested by her," the first one said.

Arrest scenario, huh? That had possibilities. She felt pretty good about it, until she remembered the pipes. She and Qyzen were halfway there when Agenord called.

"Yvie, I have a situation," he said. "I need your help." He gave her his location.

"It must be dangerous indeed for him to request aid," Qyzen said.

She looked at him sideways. Thanks, Qyzen.

They found Agenord on a higher platform, deflecting blaster bolts from a sniper.

"Yvie, I need to get into that apartment," he said, nodding toward a room with shattered windows. "Make some time for me."

Yvie nodded and reached out with the Force. A cargo speeder sputtered and began to lose altitude. When it passed between the sniper and the apartment, Agenord jumped, caught the window, and swung inside. Yvie and Qyzen ducked behind a parked speeder, and Yvie searched for the sniper with her macrobinoculars. Teeseven joined them and whistled something excited. Yvie ignored him. She found the sniper and his spotter on a balcony. She reached out again, and a speeder droid lost control and scraped across the balcony. The sniper and spotter jumped back in shock, looked at each other, and ran for their speeder. Agenord jumped from the window and ran to Yvie.

"They're running," Yvie said.

"I saw," Agenord replied. "Teeseven, get into that room. Scan everything. Qyzen, guard him. I don't want anyone in that room who isn't SIS. Yvie, you're with me." He jumped into the speeder. "We need to get those snipers."

"The owner of the speeder?" Yvie asked, climbing in.

Agenord looked at the apartment. "He doesn't need it." He swung the speeder around and took off.

Agenord drove like a Force user, making sharp, impossible turns and missing other speeders by less than a meter. Even so, their target had large lead. In the Coruscant sky, that was a huge advantage.

"Can you do anything?" Agenord asked.

"I'm trying."

A large speeder swerved suddenly, cutting off the target, forcing him to brake and turn.

"We need them alive," Agenord said.

"It's not that precise."

Agenord nodded and took out his communicator.

"Agent Galen, I have the card. I'm in pursuit of two suspects, and I need backup."

"Understood," a voice replied.

More bad luck reduced the distance to the target. One of them started firing at the Jedi, but Yvie deflected the bolts.

"This is bad, Agenord," Yvie said. "If I use it too much-"

The target swerved again, into the path of a droid cargo speeder. Their engine detonated, and they plummeted in flames.

"You get bad luck to compensate?" Agenord asked.

"Yeah."

"Okay. I'll remember that."

He dove toward the ground and landed near the wreckage. The targets were dead, but he searched the speeder for anything useful. He identified the sniper's rifle, drew it out, and lowered it to the ground in front of him. He took out his holocommunicator, scanned the rifle, and waited for the SIS team to arrive.

When they landed, he told them, "No one touches it but you." The man in charge nodded, and the SIS team got to work. "Yvie," Agenord said. "You drive us back. I need to talk to someone."

Yvie climbed into the driver's seat, and they started back.

"You did the right thing," Agenord told her. "If you'd held back, they'd have gotten away. This way, we have something."

Exactly, she thought. Don't hold back.

"Cyr'rnin," Agenord said into his holocommunicator.

The trooper appeared and said, "Master Agenord."

 _Master_ Agenord? Yvie thought. Dial it back, Cyr'rnin.

"I need to talk to Sergeant Jorgan," Agenord said.

A Cathar's face appeared. "Master Jedi. How can I help?"

Agenord transmitted the rifle scan.

"Do you recognize this rifle?"

"Yes, sir," the Cathar said. "That's an X-115. It's a standard military rifle, mostly used by non-aligned systems."

"Does anyone in the Republic use it?"

"Yes, sir."

"What about the Empire?"

"Probably," the Cathar said.

"It sounds like a good choice to hide where you're from," Agenord said.

"Yes, sir," Jorgan said.

"The sniper took out three targets from a range of two kilometers."

"Did he have a spotter?" Jorgan asked.

"He did."

"Sounds like military training, sir."

"Good enough for the Deadeyes?" Agenord asked.

The Cathar shook his head. "Not on it's own, sir, but it'd get you a second look."

"Thank you, Sergeant," Agenord said and switched off. "What pipes?" he said after a moment.

She looked at him.

"You said something about pipes."

"Yeah," she said. "Someone is diverting fresh water."

"I heard about that."

Of course he did. "I'm working with the Gree to fix it. It's really important."

"That makes sense," he said. "They built Coruscant's infrastructure."

He _would_ know that.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Trying to stop someone from setting off a superweapon," he told her.

A fucking _superweapon?_ No, that's not at all like _pipes_ , is it? Really, fucking important _pipes_.

They landed at the platform, and told Qyzen he could let the SIS team into the apartment.

"Thank you, Qyzen," Agenord said. "Yvie, good job out there. Teeseven, we need to get back."

Was he _ever_ not in a hurry?

"Herald?" Qyzen said. "Now we assist the Gree?"

"Yes," Yvie said. "The Black Sun are stealing fresh water. We can't have that." She looked in the direction of the tunnels. "Get ready to earn some points. We're going to fix the shit out of those pipes."

* * *

Hours later, she sat in her room, fresh from a shower. She smiled to herself. Not a single Black Sun left in those tunnels. Too bad about those kids, but they could find someplace else to live. She took out her newest Noetikon and activated it.

"Master Jedi?" Master Wole said.

"Yvisnusiish," she told him.

"Of course."

Yvie rolled her eyes.

"Have you found the Noetikon of Secrets?" Master Nomi asked.

"Not yet," Yvie said.

"How may we help?" Master Noab asked.

"Teach me power," Yvie replied.

"There are many paths to power," Master Nomi told her.

Yvie smiled. "Teach me all of them."


	19. The Warrior 4

"You're certain the slave knows nothing?" Baras asked.

"She's not a slave," Mau'te replied.

That was intense, Vette thought. She didn't think an apprentice could talk to his master that way.

"You're certain the _girl_ knows nothing?" Baras amended.

"I didn't take her with me," Mau'te said.

"And returned injured," Baras said.

"But alive and successful, and with her skills still available," Mau'te said.

Baras looked Vette up and down. "Too brittle for my taste. But, if she knows nothing, I won't pursue it. Mind you, some of my information is valuable."

"Too valuable for Imperial Intelligence," Mau'te said.

"Yes, Apprentice. Quite true." Baras sat back in his chair, ignoring the groaning spy on the torture rack. "Now then, tell me about this bounty hunter."

Vette held her breath.

"How did you hear about him?" Mau'te asked.

"You're my apprentice; it's my job to know. Who is he?"

"My cousin. He's trying to get into the Great Hunt. He asked to train with a Force sensitive. He needed the skills."

"He's Republic," Baras said.

"Not anymore," Mau'te said. "Now he's a bounty hunter."

"Any other relatives you'd like to mention?"

"Avoid my brother," Mau'te said. "He's mine to kill."

"Now that sounds like a Sith."

"Is this why you called me in?"

"No," Baras said. "The Council requested you for a particular job because of your work with the droids. You showed initiative, prowess, and strategic thinking. And, the commander at the building site said you seemed very knowledgeable."

Mau'te shrugged. "My father is a cybernetics engineer."

"He said you were right," Baras said. "Someone used a virus on them. They were cover, so Darth Tytonus could land her troops. We believe she is working with Grathan. He still has troops in Kaas City loyal to him."

"And they will attack from within," Mau'te said.

Baras nodded. "Precisely. Meet with my apprentice, Dri'kill Ba'al. He's my covert operative in Grathan's compound. Ba'al claims to have made a key discovery."

Mau'te asked, "Do you know the nature of this discovery?"

Baras shook his head. "Ba'al only communicates in predetermined signals. He was to find Grathan's exploitable weakness, and today he sent the success signal. Use this weakness to get Grathan to call back his troops."

"If we kill Grathan-" Mau'te began.

"No, Apprentice. His troops may have a standing order to attack."

"Too bad. I would love to fight a Darth."

Baras chuckled. "No doubt someday you will have your chance to try-one way or another. Now then," He turned back to the Republic prisoner. "Where were we? Oh yes..."

* * *

"Vette?" Mau'te said. The little thief was missing. "Vette?" He looked around the landing pad. At last, he reached out with the Force and sensed her behind a fuel tank. He held out a hand, and the tank slid away from her. She scowled at him and stood up. "Why do you hide every time I say 'speeder'?"

"Because you drive like a maniac!" she told him.

"I drive using the Force," he said. "I could drive blindfolded if I wanted to."

"Don't tell me that! I don't want to think you're driving blindfolded." She climbed into the speeder. "Did I ever tell you I have a fear of dying in a fiery speeder crash?"

"Possibly," he said. "I'm starting to lose track of them."

"Very funny."

He pulled away from the platform at twice the normal take off speed. Vette let out a squeak and gripped her armrest. He darted through the traffic as if he were following a practised course, passing the other speeders like they were stationary objects. Vette squeaked again. Finally, he pulled away from the traffic toward the southern jungle, and Vette let herself relax.

"Will Mako and Ter'viro be okay?" she asked.

"The Mandalorians care about the connection, not the Sith. The worst the Mandalorians could do is keep him out of the Hunt."

"Right. I think you told me that. I'm just surprised Baras knew."

"It's perfectly normal," Mau'te said. "He wanted to keep me off balance, maintain control."

"Right," she said again. She took a few breaths. "Am I going to die after this?"

"No," he said. "This action has the approval of the Council. They care if the coup is stopped not how." He looked over at her. "The last mission might have resulted in some embarrassment. This mission will bring Baras nothing but praise. Rest assured, I wouldn't bring you if I thought he would kill you after."

She took a breath and said, "Please watch where you're driving."

"Sorry," he said and turned back.

* * *

They reached a massive wall and landed near the gate.

"What does this keep out?" Vette asked.

"The really dangerous things," Mau'te said.

As they approached the gate, Lord Hexid called out and walked away from a line of apprentices.

"Lord Mau'te," she said. "Good to see you. Five to three our last fight. You're getting better."

"You know some interesting techniques," Mau'te said. Vette frowned and looked away.

"You really should join us some time, my dear," Hexid said to Vette. "I don't mind sharing."

Vette attempted a weak smile.

"Lord Mau'te," Hexid said. "I heard Grathan has been naughty, and here you are. Exactly the person _I'd_ send. Will the fun be here?"

"Kaas City," he said. "Most of it."

"Then I'll rush back," she said. "I hope to have you at my side. We'd turn them to ash." She turned back to the apprentices. "The rest of you, _this_ is what an apprentice _should_ look like."

"Yes, ma'am," one of the females said.

Hexid gave her a look. "Get ready to move out," she said to them. "We'll be training in Kaas City for the rest of the day." She turned back to Mau'te. "If you can't make it back for the fight, I'll see you after. You know what a good fight does to me." She looked Vette up and down. "My dear, the things I could do." She returned to the apprentices without waiting for a response.

When Mau'te and Vette reached the gate, an Imperial captain stopped them and activated scanning remotes.

"Hold your position, please," she said. "The remotes are scanning you now." She watched the readout from the remotes. "Identity confirmed. Welcome, Lord Mau'te. I'm Captain Sarnova. Sorry for the delay. Council's orders. Security at the Wall has been put on high alert, but I was told to expect you. Give you what help you need. I'm hoping you'll fix our Grathan problem."

"The exact nature of my mission is need to know," Mau'te said.

"Of course, my Lord. How may I help?"

"I need a map of the estate and isolation."

"Of course," Sarnova said. "Strategy room. I'll have it cleared out for you."

Once the room was clear, Vette took control of the holographic map. She zoomed in on Grathan's compound and started analyzing the terrain.

"Where do we need to go?" she asked.

Mau'te tapped one of the buildings.

Vette nodded. "Warehouse." She rotated the map, shifted it, and started tapping it, creating red dots outside the compound wall.

"And those are...?" Mau'te said.

"Probable sensor locations," Vette replied without looking up. "Lord Grathan had some good engineers. This is a solid design." She started tapping inside the compound. "Those are security stations," told him, still not looking up. "What's here?" she asked, circling an area near the river.

"A pack of sleen."

"Could you get through them?"

"Probably."

She continued searching the terrain, finally zooming in on a location where the hills surrounding the compound came close to the wall.

"Could you jump that?" she asked.

He estimated the distance and said, "Yes."

"Could you get a rope?"

"Of course."

She nodded and traced a yellow line across the hologram from their location to the point on the wall.

"That's it," she said, looking up. "Best I can do."

The route was simple and direct, avoided the sensors and the guards and any serious risk except the sleen. And they wouldn't raise an alarm. If she was right, she'd earn her keep. If she was wrong, she'd go back to being a slave.

"Let's get that rope," he said.

* * *

He misjudged the distance a little and needed a running start, but he made it to the wall with a minimum of noise. Vette threw him one end of the rope. He tied it off, and she climbed over to him. He let Vette take the lead to the warehouse, following her instincts carefully. They reached their destination without a hint of discovery. She sliced the lock on a security door, and they slipped into a poorly lit corridor. Vette started down the corridor, but Mau'te held her back.

"You did well today," he whispered. "I'll make sure Baras knows."

Vette nodded and turned her attention back to the corridor. She tried to look professional, but Mau'te could sense the relief from her. He considered warning her that her emotions were too loud, but relief was too vague to draw attention.

The warehouse used mostly droids with a few guards near the main entrance. The droids were programmed to ignore a Sith Lord, and their movements made Vette's job easier. They reached Ba'al's office quickly.

"You must be the operative Lord Baras sent," Ba'al said with a sneer. "I thought he'd choose a stealthy assassin, not some senseless savage."

Mau'te, in his crisp uniform, looked anything but a savage. He smiled at Ba'al and said, "I have a job to do."

"Fine," Ba'al said. "I'll rise above my discontent-for now. Grathan is a rogue Sith who has defied the Dark Council. Locked away here, he's been untouchable."

"No one is untouchable," Mau'te replied.

Ba'al continued, "Lord Baras wants to let Grathan know he can be reached. I suppose he wants a spectacle, or he wouldn't have entrusted such a blunt and tactless animal."

"Is that your best? Jibes that would be weak coming from an acolyte?"

Ba'al scowled at him. "After a year undercover, I've discovered the way-Lord Grathan has a son!"

Mau'te rolled his eyes. "A year and that's all you got? Maybe in another year you can find out his shoe size."

"He wears boots, smartass," Ba'al said. "Injure Grathan's son, leave him on the verge of death. That would send a message. But, be careful. Grathan's son is strong with the Force. He's been trained in the ways of the Sith since birth. You'll have your hands full."

"I doubt that," Mau'te replied.

Ba'al smiled. "All right, maybe underestimating your foes works for you. I managed to hack a special spike that will get you inside Grathan's private quarters. But first, you're going to have to knock out some surveillance stations so you aren't seen entering the quarters."

"Sounds straightforward enough."

"Yes," Ba'al said. "We wouldn't want to tax you with anything too complicated."

"Let me guess, Ba'al," Mau'te replied. "You're upset, because Baras sent you to watch and sent me to act."

The seething in Ba'al's eyes said everything. "If you don't destroy the system before entering the private chambers, you'll never make it. Locate the monitoring stations around the compound and, stick your lightsaber in them. Think you can handle that?"

"Should be easy," Mau'te said.

"Return here when you're done. Try not to screw it up."

"Fine," Mau'te said. "While I'm gone, get started on that shoe size thing."

* * *

Once they left his office, Vette said, "I kind of like his attitude."

Mau'te shook his head. "I thought you had higher standards."

Vette took the lead again, and they reached the main building without notice. They hid behind a stack of crates while Vette searched the building for the best entrance and tracked the movements of the guards. Just as she started to move, Mau'te grabbed her and pulled her back. He held her close while listening for something.

"What?" she whispered, harsher than she needed to. She wanted to get her mind off of the feel of his arm around her. Protective, strong, firm but not painful. "What is it?"

"I thought someone noticed us, but no alarms." He let her go.

"Maybe we're not the only ones here," she said. "This guy's got a lot of enemies."

"Very true," he said. "Whoever they were, they're gone."

Vette got them into the building and to the first monitoring station. Mau'te reached for his saber, but Vette held his arm.

"I could slice this easily," she whispered. "A lightsaber hole might draw attention."

Mau'te sighed. "Ba'al and I will have a talk later."

Vette finished with the console, and they moved on. She took the lead again, finding utility corridors and unused passages like they had signs leading the way. Mau'te clouded the minds of the few people they encountered, though not without effort. Grathan trained his people well. They felt safer once they reached the private chambers. Only a few trusted servants would be allowed there. Ba'al's security spike fit only a few doors in the area. Mau'te picked the closest where he sensed occupants.

"What do you think?" he whispered to Vette, handing her the spike. "Will this thing actually work?"

Vette examined the spike, shrugged, and shoved it in the slot. Mau'te shook his head and sighed.

A young man, barely twenty, looked up from a desk. "Mother," he said to a woman nearby. "A stranger approaches."

"You don't know the half of it, kid," Vette replied.

"I am Cellvanta Grathan!" the woman declared. "How dare you enter my son's room uninvited! Who are you?"

"Lord Mau'te," he said with a nod. "Your husband overreaches himself and must be taught a lesson. Don't worry. I'm not here to kill anyone, but a severe injury to your son will teach your husband he is vulnerable."

"You'll have to kill me first," Cellvanta said. "Beelzlit, take cover!"

"No, Mother-I stand at your side. Attack!"

Mau'te jumped to Beelzlit's side, putting him in front of his mother. He disarmed the boy quickly and shoved him into a wall, stunning him. Cellvanta attacked like any mother defending her cub. Mau'te blocked the attack, exchanged a few blows with her, and twisted her weapon from her grasp. Cellvanta fell back, her hands in the air. Beelzlit struggled to his feet, but his mother shouted him down.

"We're no match for him," she said and turned back to Mau'te. "I haven't seen such skill since Malgus." She looked Mau'te up and down with as much appreciation as fear. "What did my husband do to demand this response?"

"Darth Tytonus has landed troops outside the expansion district," Mau'te said. "Your husband plans to support her."

"That fucking bitch!" Cellvanta spat. "She's been after my husband for years. She finally found a way to get his attention. What is my husband's role in this?"

"He still has troops loyal to him," Mau'te said.

"They will attack from within," she said. "Tytonus and my husband will have seats on the Council, and I will be left to rot here." She lowered her arms and seethed at the thought. "There is another way. Kill my husband."

"I can't kill him. He must order his troops to attack Tytonus."

"And so he shall," she said. "Just hear me out. Long ago, my husband was nearly beheaded-now, he cannot exist without his helmeted mask. Everyone knows this. Kill Lord Grathan. My son will wear the mask and assume his mantle. I know my husband well enough that I can guess some of his commands. I can order his men to retreat from Kaas City. His commands to attack Tytonus would be too specific. They would know something was wrong."

"Removing them from the fight would be enough," Mau'te said.

"What will be _your_ reward?" Cellvanta asked with a smile.

"The chance to prove myself against a Darth," he replied.

"Excellent," she said. "You won't regret it. Lord Grathan deserves to die. With this passcard, you may enter Lord Grathan's secret chamber. But be wary of him. There are few as attuned to the dark side as he."

Vette said, "Um, I don't think I like the sound of that."

* * *

No guards or servants stopped them on the way to Grathan's chamber. He kept his private quarters truly private, suggesting resources of some value. Mau'te didn't care. He cared about the impending fight.

"My uninvited guest finally arrives," Grathan said as Mau'te and Vette entered the room. "Your feelings betray you, youngster. What's more, your unshielded mind has revealed your accomplice-my loving wife."

"Her unshielded mind," Mau'te said, nodding toward Vette.

"Sorry," she said.

"Don't worry about it," Mau'te said. "You're still practicing."

"Another naive youngster who's fallen under my wife's influence," Grathan hissed through the heavy mask.

Mau'te tilted his head in amusement.

"Cellvanta is a user, child," Grathan continued. "She's obsessed with power."

"I haven't surrendered my will to her," Mau'te said. "We made a bargain. Nothing more."

Grathan laughed, a strange, mechanical sound that chilled Vette to her core.

"You and my wife obviously have a death wish." Grathan drew his saber. "I will grant them both." He ignited the purple blade.

Mau'te smiled, ignited his own saber, and charged. Vette fell back. Mau'te had told her not to attack. Grathan might kill her accidentally.

Grathan and Mau'te exchanged a few quick blows then stepped back and circled each other.

"I sense no fear in you," Grathan said. "Are you stupid, or merely uneducated?"

Mau'te's smile deepened. "You can't imagine what I am."

"I am Lord Grathan. I stand in open defiance of the Dark Council. I see before me a primitive, callow puppet who's wandered into the wrong room. Who are you to think you can kill a Sith Lord?"

Mau'te shifted his stance. "Let me show you."

The fight began. Grathan was experienced, even brilliant, and strong with the Force, and Mau'te didn't seem to care. Vette had seen most of Mau'te's sparring matches. She suspected he'd been holding back, learning from his opponents. Now she saw him in a real fight. Grathan dominated at the beginning, attacking rapidly while throwing lightning and debris at the Twi'lek. Mau'te blocked or redirected all of it and learned his opponent's tactics. Finally, Grathan used three attacks at once to unbalance the younger Sith Lord, but Mau'te slipped past them and struck, injuring Grathan's leg. The Darth stepped back to recover, but Mau'te never gave him the chance. He attacked relentlessly, eagerly, breaking through Grathan's defenses and turning aside his attacks. Grathan amplified his speed to a point where Vette could barely follow the blade, and Mau'te matched every move, smiling the whole time. He beat Grathan back, knocked his blade from his hand, and stabbed him through the heart. He pulled his blade free, stood over Grathan, and shuddered, like an addict with a fix.

Vette turned away. He could treat her right, never calling her a slave. He could protect her from Baras. He could even be nice to Mako. Then he did something like this, and she remembered what he really was.

Mau'te put away his saber and turned around. "Best not mention this to Baras," he said.

"Right," Vette said. "I guess he can't imagine what you are either."

"No, he can't," Mau'te said. "And it's best for both of us if he doesn't."

They left Grathan as he was and started back.

"So," Vette said, after a moment. "Purple?"

Mau'te held in a laugh. "Yes. It is the only color used by both Jedi and Sith. It's a little complicated. I'll explain it to you if we're ever on Tatooine."

Cellvanta met them with a smile. "I sensed my husband's death. Lord Grathan is no more."

"Your husband's troops?" Mau'te asked.

"Contacted the moment my husband died," Cellvanta said. "Ordered to pull back. They'll shrug it off as Sith politics." Cellvanta examined Mau'te carefully. "Perhaps we should discuss our alliance."

"A moment, mother," Beelzlit said. He turned to Mau'te. "Tell me, do you know anything Vereta Fraabaal?"

"Alive and well and with her father," Mau'te said.

"What about the mercenaries that kidnapped her?"

"Returning her to her father is hardly 'kidnapping'," Mau'te said.

"I don't care," Beelzlit said. "Do you know of them? Could you kill them for me? Could you recover Vereta?"

"Beelzlit, please," Cellvanta said.

"No, mother! I will have retribution."

"You're a fool, boy," Mau'te said. "The Admiral already hates your father. Do you want him to add you to the list? Go to him respectfully. Let him think you're some doe eyed fool, a potential operative within your father's compound. You'll get the girl and an ally in the military."

Beelzlit thought carefully. "And the mercenaries?"

"Probably expensive, and probably gone," Mau'te told him.

"He's right, Beelzlit," Celvanta said. "That slicer was the best I've seen. They couldn't have been cheap. Besides, they were just mercenaries. There was nothing personal in it."

"Very well, mother, I will bide my time." He looked at Mau'te. "And I will consider more strategic avenues."

"Very good, Beelzlit," Cellvanta said. "Get your father's mask, and dispose of his body. I have some things to discuss with Lord Mau'te." She turned to Mau'te. "Lord Mau'te, I have always been attracted to power, and you have a great deal of it. You also freed me from an inconvenient husband and put me in control of this house. Let me show you my appreciation." She approached Mau'te with clear intent in her eyes.

Vette looked at Cellvanta with shock and disgust. "You're not seriously considering this?" she said to Mau'te.

Cellvanta raised a hand toward Vette and said, "I dislike your attitude, girl." The air tightened around Vette's throat, and she began to choke.

Mau'te grabbed Cellvanta's wrist, freeing Vette, and glared at Lady Grathan. "Wait outside," he said to Vette.

"Fine," Vette said. "Whatever you say... master."

Vette curled up outside the door and thought, asshole. She heard a few minutes of murmuring from the room then a sound like a belt striking flesh followed by Cellvanta screaming. She looked at the door, not quite believing the noise. Another strike and scream followed, then another, then a sound from Cellvanta that might have been pleasure or pain, then definitely pleasure, then maybe Force lightening, another scream, and more pleasure. The noises continued like that, back and forth, for almost an hour. At last, the door opened and Mau'te emerged, smoothing his jacket into place. Cellvanta followed him in a robe, wincing with every step.

"Miss... miss... miss Vette, was it?" Cellvanta said. "I'm terribly, terribly, terribly sorry about choking you that way. That... that was wrong of me. I see that now. After all, you helped Lord Mau'te with my little problem. I should have been a more gracious host. Oh, I have something for you." She took a ticket to a spa from her pocket and handed it to Vette. "I get these whenever I go into the city. Wife of a Darth, and all that. They're really very good there. They've gotten me... to relax on more than one occasion. It's not much of an apology, but I'm sure you'll enjoy it. And, Lord Mau'te, my quarters and everything within will remain open to you. If you'll excuse me, I need a good soak." She closed the door.

Vette looked at the ticket, then at Mau'te, then back at the ticket. Mau'te seemed to be glaring at nothing.

"I didn't like her hurting you," he finally said.

"Right," Vette said.

"After all, you're my associate. It reflects badly on me. Obviously."

She blinked at him. "Yeah."

"How's your throat?"

"Better," she said.

He nodded. "Drink some water. It helps."

"I did," she said.

He looked at the ticket. "I've heard about that place. They are supposed to be good. You should take Mako. I'm sure she'd enjoy it."

"Yeah. Mako. Is that okay?"

"You're both independent contractors. It should be fine." He looked at her then glared at nothing again. "We should go."

* * *

They reached Ba'al's office in good time. Vette's stealth was as good as ever, but she seemed oddly distant.

"Took you long enough," Ba'al said. "I'm surprised you survived. So, is it done?"

"Grathan got his message," Mau'te said.

Ba'al sneered at him. "Doesn't say much for Grathan's security forces if a clumsy clod like you was able to bang into his private chamber and injure his son."

"Still upset that Baras exiled you here?" Mau'te asked.

Ba'al narrowed his eyes. "You're not talking to one of Baras's Imperial peons. I'm his apprentice, the same as you."

"I'll grant you're his apprentice, and I do find your empty chatter amusing."

"You'll find my lightsaber a bit sobering," Ba'al said, drawing his weapon. "Killing you will solidify my cover here. Baras can replace you easily."

"What a surprise," Mau'te said and drew his own saber.

Ba'al stepped back. "You don't know the half of it." He hit an alarm button on his desk. "Intruder! Everyone, to me!" He ignited his weapon and attacked.

Mau'te held off Ba'al easily while Vette rolled behind Ba'al's desk. A group of soldiers ran in, and Vette started firing randomly at them to throw them off while Ba'al and Mau'te fought. Half the soldiers returned fire, and the other half focused on Mau'te. He was forced to block and fight simultaneously, but he seemed to enjoy the challenge. Fine for him, but she was outnumbered and outgunned. She hit one soldier, but his armor absorbed the shot. One fell from a deflected shot, and another one was injured. And Mau'te, the asshole, was obviously holding back. Vette ducked and fired as best she could, but she was used to Nar Shaddaa security not trained soldiers. When she poked her head up for a look, a ricochet hit her shoulder, and she fell back screaming.

"Vette!" Mau'te yelled.

Ba'al laughed. "First your companion and now- ahh!"

Vette heard a body hit the floor. After that, the sounds were blaster fire, the sweep of a lightsaber, and an occasional scream. The blaster fire ended, the saber deactivated, and Mau'te leaped over the desk. He picked up Vette and ran from the room.

"I can walk," she said.

"I'm faster."

"I don't need this."

"Shut up," he said. "I'm saving you."

He ran to the speeder landing on the roof of the building, killed three more guards, an took the nearest speeder. Vette curled up in the passenger seat, clutching her arm, vaguely aware their velocity.

"Slow down," she said. "We'll crash."

"Trust in the Force."

"Fuck the Force," she said. "I want to survive."

He looked at her then reduced speed.

"And don't tell me to shut up," she said. "Don't just say 'shut up' like that."

He drove for a while then said, "I'm sorry I told you to shut up. I'm not sorry I carried you. I could get us to the speeder faster. You were in pain and might have had trouble running."

She thought for a while and said, "I was in pain because of you. You were holding back."

He glared at her for a moment then looked forward again. "You're right. I'm not used to having a partner. I won't do that again."

They reached the hospital, and he parked near the emergency door. He leapt across the speeder and reached for her.

"I can walk," she said, pushing his hand away. She climbed out of the speeder, wincing with every step, but walked on her own into the hospital.

Once inside, Mau'te called for help. The medical team leader looked at Vette and said, "We don't usually treat slaves here."

Mau'te grabbed him by the throat and growled, "She is not a slave!"

"Of course, my Lord," he replied and nodded to his team. "We'll get her help right away."

Vette was lowered into a chair and taken away while Mau'te watched and seethed.

"Terribly sorry about that, my Lord," a nurse said to him.

"Right."

"It's not a serious injury," she said. "We've seen a lot of them from the expansion district. Those droids don't have very good aim."

He looked at her. "If you say so."

"It's painful, so they'll sedate her, but she'll be ready to go tomorrow."

"Thank you."

"Do you want me to look at that, sir?" she said and nodded at his arm.

He looked down and saw a lightsaber mark on his left arm. "Oh. Yes."

She took him to a free room, got his jacket off, and started to work. "Trouble with another Sith Lord?" she asked.

"Not anymore."

She nodded and continued working. When she was done, he said, "I need to report in."

She said, "Of course, my Lord," and left.

Mau'te took out his holocom and connected to Baras.

"Apprentice!" Baras said. "Grathan's troops have retreated from the city. Without their interference, Tytonus will fall by the end of the day. Well done."

"I am your servant, Master."

Baras tilted his head, looking at Mau'te's arm. "Are you injured?"

Mau'te nodded. "Ba'al didn't appreciate competition."

"I wondered why he missed his last communication," Baras said. "No matter. He can be replaced. How did the girl do?"

"Got us in without notice," Mau'te said. "She would have gotten us out the same way if not for Ba'al."

"So, she has proven her worth at last. Very good." He looked behind Mau'te. "But where is she?"

"Injured in the fight," Mau'te said. "We are at the hospital. They tell me it's not serious."

"Excellent, Apprentice. Both of you have earned a rest."

"With your permission, Master, I would like to join the attack on Tytonus. I would like to face her myself."

"No, Apprentice," Baras said. "You have earned your rest. Besides, you're not yet strong enough to face a Darth."

"Of course, Master," he said and switched off.

* * *

Mau'te arrived the next morning just as Vette was dressing.

"Hey!" she said, spinning around.

"Sorry," he said. "Technically, you are wearing your bra."

"Whatever." She let her arm dangle and pulled her jacket sleeve up and over her shoulder.

"Do you need help?"

"No," she said. She pushed her healthy arm into the other sleeve and shrugged the jacket on. "Thank you, by the way. For... saving my scrawny ass."

"It's not scrawny anymore," he said. "In a good way. The exercise is working."

"Oh." She started closing the jacket.

"Let me see it," he said.

"What?"

He turned her around and pulled the jacket away from her shoulder. He made a show of examining the wound, but she caught him checking out her chest and glared at him.

He shrugged. "I never said your tits were scrawny."

"My tits are not a subject for conversation."

He looked at them again. "That's too bad." He examined the wound more seriously. "It's not as bad as I thought."

"No sleeveless dresses, I guess."

He shook his head. "In the Empire, an injury like that earns you respect." He pulled the jacket over her shoulder then stopped. "This is your armor?"

"Yes."

"This is what you call armor? This is tissue paper with thread."

"Whatever," she said and picked up her guns. He saw them and took one from her.

"Did you bypass the first three induction coils?"

"They were sparking," she said.

"They were sparking! So you reduced the power output by fifty percent. You may as well have been spitting at them. Where did you get these, anyway?"

"From a guy," she said. "On Nar Shaddaa. He didn't need them anymore. I didn't get him that way. I just found him."

"And on Nar Shaddaa, you don't ask. I remember." He handed back the pistol. "I'm getting you better armor and weapons."

"I can't afford that," she said.

" _I'm_ buying it. You can't do your job if you can't stay alive." He glared at nothing again. "Let's go."

* * *

That night, Vette sat alone nursing her shoulder and scanning the holonet for Twi'lek slaves. Still nothing. Hutts didn't keep the best records of their slaves. An alarm went off, and she took her next pain pill. Pain pills good. Broken clavicle bad. Lord Hexid bitch.

 _The things I could do._

Fuck you. I mean, don't fuck you. I mean... forget it.

Mau'te walked in, and Vette shut off the holonet.

Vette said, "I thought you were with Lord Hexid tonight."

"I beat her five nothing and came home. How's your shoulder?"

"Still hurts."

He nodded. "When you're ready, we're going to start training together. You don't know how to work with a partner either. At least not like this."

"Yeah," she said. "That makes sense."

He was glaring at nothing again.

"I was going to work with Mako on slicing until then," she continued. "If it's okay for me to see her, I mean."

He nodded and glared. "I won't go easy on you."

"I won't hold back if you don't."

His glare softened a bit. "That's fair." He went to his room for the night.

 _You can't imagine what I am._ Vette tried not to. She turned back to the holonet and continued her search.


	20. The Assassin 3

Within the caliginous void, an armored mask appeared, its obverse familiar. An aureate coruscation burned from the reverse, summoning her attention. The metal visage fell away, leaving only the incandescent shape which rushed toward her face.

The assassin woke. No visions of war today. A mask within a mask. Interesting. The Force wanted her to see it, but the Force wanted a lot of things.

She dressed and ascended the tower to Zash's office. She found her master in council with a human apprentice. They turned when the assassin entered.

"Ready for your mission?" Zash asked.

"Of course, Master."

"What about him?" Zash said, nodding toward Khem.

"More than ready," the assassin said. "He was practicing his glowering all night."

"I do not practice it, little Sith."

"This is Sandor," Zash said, indicating the apprentice. "He is the apprentice of Darth Charnus. Charnus has a mission for you."

"Possibly," Sandor said, a look of distaste in his eyes. "If she can translate this." He put a token on Zash's desk.

"I've had her studying that language since arriving on Dromund Kaas," Zash said. "And she's a surprisingly quick study."

The assassin smiled. "You honor me, Master." She took the token and examined it. "'Instruct the Seeker of Knowledge to stand within the Circle of Ritual'."

"Well done, Apprentice," Zash said. "How would you translate 'Seeker of Knowledge'?"

"Student," the assassin said. "Or apprentice."

"Pilgrim?" Sandor suggested.

"In some situations, yes," the assassin said.

He nodded. "My master needs infiltrators to eliminate an enemy of the Sith."

"An enemy of the Sith, or an enemy of your master?" she asked.

"An enemy of an important Darth," Zash said.

"Of course, Master," the assassin replied.

Sandor said, "Our enemy is the Order of Revan- a cult of fools hidden at every stratum of Imperial society. For years, the Revanite heretics have secretly recruited military officers, powerful Sith, wealthy mercenaries- anyone who can add to their power."

"Odd," the assassin said. "Revan was never a cult leader."

"How do you know of him?" Sandor asked.

"It's called 'reading'," the assassin replied.

"Apprentice," Zash said.

"My apologies, Master. Revan was a Force sensitive of considerable power. I study many such Force sensitives, to learn their successes and their failures."

"Yes, of course," Sandor said. "Then you know Revan was tainted by Jedi ways. My master wants to purge this secret society and their teachings from Dromund Kaas. All we need is the identity of their leader. My master will reveal him to the Dark Council, and his destruction would be assured."

"You want me to infiltrate the infiltrators?"

"It displeases you?" Sandor asked.

"On the contrary," the assassin said. "I enjoy the irony."

"Very well," Sandor said. "We have discovered the name of one of the Revanites- Major Pathel. He screens the new initiates, or so we're told. Show him the token, and do your best to earn his trust."

"Certainly," she said. "If I may ask, why did your master choose me?"

Sandor sighed. "The Revanites are known to... actively recruit... aliens."

"Oh," she said. "That does explain a lot. Tell you master I shall do my very best."

"Very good," Sandor said. He nodded to Lord Zash and departed.

"What do you think?" Zash asked.

"Charnus does not have the approval of the Council," the assassin said. "If he did, he would move in with an army. I also wonder where they got that token, and how."

"And the Revanites?"

The assassin shrugged. "Why does a purely philosophical cult need to infiltrate every stratum of Imperial society? The Council would respond to any direct threat to its power. Why haven't they intervened? Secrecy is the Revanites best defense. Why have they abandoned it now?"

"Excellent questions," Zash said. "What does your vision tell you?"

The assassin closed her eyes and searched the future. "I see threads of complexity disappearing into a fog."

"You've seen the fog," Zash said. "Only the strongest precognitives have perceived it so far. But it is growing." She shrugged. "For now, untangle some of those threads. I would like Charnus to owe us a favor. Just remember; my mission takes precedent. We must have that prototype."

"Of course, Master," she said.

"Be cautious at Grathan's Estate," Zash said. "I've heard rumors he's linked to the droid rebellion."

The assassin shook her head. "Droids don't rebel. It's cover for something."

"So you've said," Zash replied. "Whatever they're covering is about to happen. The Council will want Grathan out of the conflict and will do something to convince him."

"Do we want him convinced?"

"We do," Zash said.

"I will do my best not to see anything."

"Very good, Apprentice. Now, go."

* * *

"I'm Major Pathel, at your service," he said with a sharp salute. "In charge of security droids on the Wall. How may I assist, my Lord?"

"Pleased to meet you," the assassin said. "You're awfully cheerful, aren't you?"

The major grinned and nodded. "A necessary precondition of living on the Wall, I think. To keep healthy out here, one needs spirit!"

"I'll take your word for that." She held up the token. "I was told to bring you this."

"Ah!" he said. "It's always wonderful to meet new initiates- the Order of Revan needs all the dedicated young people it can get."

"You're very direct for a secret society."

"Our days of secrecy are numbered," he replied. "Change has begun in the Empire. The war saw to that. The Empire must evolve. We must become more... accepting."

The assassin watched him for a moment. "Who is it?"

He paused then laughed. "Well done. My wife is a Twi'lek." He looked at the brand across her eye. "A former slave like you. And far too good for me. So you understand, we do not oppose the Empire. I remain a loyal soldier. We just oppose some of its policies. Quite a few initiates think our 'secret society' will help them become Moffs or Dark Lords."

"I need no help with that," the assassin said.

"I didn't think so," the major replied. "You're ambitious. That's a fine trait. Don't let it get the better of you, though!" His gaze changed, became more professional. "Some members of the Dark Council call us heretics and seek to root us out. How do we respond? How do we answer their accusations of heresy?"

Ah, she thought, the first real test. Revan was both Jedi and Sith, so the best answer- "We work in the shadows, we manipulate, but to enlighten, not destroy."

"Well said," Pathel replied. "We reform the Empire, but we do not betray it. Now, your companion-"

"Your people are nothing," Khem said. "Your Empire is nothing. Your Order is nothing."

The assassin said, "His people are not really political. Or philosophical. Or polite."

Khem growled a bit but said nothing.

"Well," Pathel said. "I believe I've heard all I need. Your next test will be a Mandalorian named Ceta Farr. Take the road to the east. She'll be waiting for you."

* * *

"I'm called Ceta Farr," the robust woman said. "I teach these mercenaries how to fight."

"Are they... with you?" the assassin asked.

"They're all Revanites," Ceta replied. "We're the first line of defense for the compound." The men nodded. "Pathel contacted me about you. Said he liked your answers. He's not easy to please. He also said not to worry about your companion, whatever that means."

"He's not really a joiner," the assassin said. "He's just my ride home."

"If you say so," Ceta said. "My clan fought Revan in the war and lost over Malachor Five. Do you know how?"

"Yes," the assassin said. "He outmaneuvered you even though you had a six ship advantage and his fleet was damaged."

"Exactly," she said. "He fought like a warrior and beat us like a warrior, on our terms. None of this Jedi diplomacy. Tell me why."

"By beating you on your terms, you couldn't deny the victory. Your honor would not allow it. He forced your surrender and ended the war early."

"You know your history," Ceta said. "That's rare among the Sith. That was your first test. They're your second." She nodded to her men. "Give me your lightsaber."

The assassin handed her saber to Khem.

"Good enough," Ceta said. She gave the assassin an electrostaff, its output set to a practice level. "Defeat as many as you can. Show me your worth."

The men raised electrostaves and vibroswords, and circled her. Three came at her at first, and she held them off, even injured them a little. More entered the fight. At four and five, she still dominated them. At six, she reached balance. At seven, she began to struggle. At eight, they beat her into the ground.

"Enough!" Ceta called out. Her men backed away. "Can you stand?"

The assassin nodded and used the staff to pull herself up.

"Well done," Ceta said.

The assassin recovered her saber. "This wasn't a test of strength, was it?"

"No," Ceta said with a tinge of respect.

"Ma'am," one of the mercenaries said. "Nothing personal."

Ceta laughed. "I think Ghez likes you."

"Thank you, Ghez," the assassin said. "I noticed you didn't hit me nearly as hard as the others."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Continue down this road," Ceta told her. "Your next test will be Morrun, a Chagrian Sith. I think you'll like him."

When they were away from the Mandalorians, Khem said, "You did well, little Sith."

"As I got my ass kicked?"

He shook his head. "You knew their test, and still you fought. You will taste better than I realized."

"Why, Khem," she said in a dry voice. "You'll make me blush."

* * *

"So. You have come. You who would join the Order of Revan. I am Morrun Dokaas, lord of beasts. I am Revanite, and I am Sith. What do you say to me?" The Chagrian stood proudly and waited for a response.

"You and Pathel must get along wonderfully," the assassin said.

"We do," Morrun replied. "For decades, I have served the Master. He found me when I was a larva and saw that I was strong in the Force. Against the Empire's traditions, he trained me. This is the way of Revan- to teach all species the path to power."

"So I've heard."

"Yes, you are brave to have survived Korriban. Now tell me, why do you think Revan trained aliens in the ways of the Sith? Why did Revan offer power to all seekers?"

The assassin considered her response. "Revan knew that servants are more valuable when they're powerful."

"You answer well," Morrun said. "Have you studied Revan?"

"I have."

"Do you believe Revan was the Perfect Being?"

"No," the assassin said. "His father has been reliably identified."

"Do you think he was a Champion?"

"If his biographies are accurate, yes," she replied. "He had enough power."

"Why does the Force kill its Champions?" he asked.

"Some believe a Champion can influence the Force directly," she said. "It fears them."

"You _have_ studied," Morrun said. "Are you truly passionate about Revan?"

"No," she said. "I have studied all of the Champions. We are overdue. I want to know what to look for, and what to expect."

Morrun smiled. "You answer wisely. Proceed to the compound."

* * *

The route to the compound wound between two cliffs, a perfect choke point if they were ever attacked. In spite of that, the opening to the valley was unguarded, and her arrival hardly noticed. A human male approached her at last, a tall redhead with the air of a statesman.

"Welcome to the Order of Revan, initiate," he said to her. "Welcome to your new life."

"Are you in charge?" she asked.

"No," he said. "I only guide initiates along the path. My name is Dzoun." He gestured to the valley. "This place is our haven, built by the Master and protected by the faithful. Here, we leave our duties to the Empire behind."

"Pathel said you sought to reform the Empire, not abandon it," she said.

"And he was right," Dzoun said. "Even though the Empire may not publicly support us, we believe in the Empire's ways. Outside of this valley, we are it's citizens. Within the valley, we study the ways of Revan."

"Revan had many 'ways'," she said. "Which do you study?"

Dzoun smiled. "Morrun said you had a keen mind. As a Jedi, Revan was a warrior who slaughtered armies. As a Sith, Revan was a teacher who trained a thousand dark apprentices. Eventually, Jedi and Sith both turned on Revan. But instead of being destroyed, Revan was reborn."

"Reborn?"

Dzoun nodded. "Revan was stripped of power, stripped of life, of memory-and left to rot. And still, Revan relearned the ways of the Force. The reborn Revan destroyed Jedi and Sith and came to Dromund Kaas. Although Revan's life ended here, the Master preserved that life so that we may learn from it."

Of course, she thought. The Force is irritated if its Champion is removed from the game to early.

"I understand the Council has noticed you," she told him.

"The Dark Council sees our beliefs as a threat to its power," Dzoun replied. "Maybe the Council's right- but if the Council falls, it falls because it is weak. We learn to be better, more powerful. Revan mastered the light side and the dark side-war and peace. We seek to walk the same path. Take part in our rituals. Learn Revan's path to greatness. Succeed, and you earn the right to join us."

"I look forward to learning." She smiled at him and thought, this was the most elaborately constructed lie she had ever heard. What were they really hiding?

"Excellent," Dzoun said. "Go to Elder Jhorval." He pointed toward a line of tents. "He shall give you your next test."

She reached the tents and found a middle-aged human human in front of one, preparing a midday meal. "Elder Jhorval?" she asked.

"Yes," he said. "You are the initiate who wishes to join our order- this is good. Tell me something; are you ready to die for us?"

"I do hope that's a metaphor," she said.

He smiled at her. "Every Revanite must face a trial of death- just as Revan died at the hands of Jedi and Sith. Death freed Revan, left him unbound from all oaths and promises. It paved his road to rebirth. Will death free you from your past?"

"Ignoring my past will not free me," she said. "How I use my past will make the difference."

He smiled again. "I see why Morrun liked you." He gestured toward the cliffs. "Before us is a path. Beyond the path is a cave- a cave dedicated to Darth Revan. Initiates fall on the path. Initiates are torn apart by things inside the cave. But initiates who reach the end are reborn. Remade."

Another test of strength, she thought. And a test of commitment, to reach a cave strong in the Force and submit to a vision. This little cult had nothing to do with philosophy. She told him, "I think I understand the situation."

"Go," Jhorval said. "Free yourself from the life you've made. The petty choices, the mistakes, the oaths sworn- all of it will be washed away. It will be terrible. It will be glorious. Return to me when you reach the end of the cave."

The path was narrow at points and a bit steep. No doubt the cause of initiates falling. As for "torn apart", she'd wait and see. A broken stairway led into the cave, in the same style as the Dark Temple. The top of an ancient doorway lay nearby, cracked in half. Runes on it read "Beware Yourself".

The Force was known to gather in certain places, no one was sure why. The will of the Force perhaps, or a natural phenomenon, or the memory of a powerful event imprinting itself within the stone. The cave clearly pre-dated Revan, but he may have added his voice to the others. Such places, she knew, could draw out things within yourself best left buried. She shuddered in spite of herself and entered the cave.

"It smells of rot," Khem said.

The cave showed the marks of an ancient battle. She found deep lightsaber cuts in the walls and scorch marks from Force lightning. A ritual circle stood atop a raised platform at the center of the cave, ringed with obelisks.

 _Instruct the Seeker of Knowledge to stand within._

She climbed the stairway to the platform and noticed Khem had not followed. He seemed to be watching, as if guarding her. She had a sense, not the first time, that he understood more than he let on.

A statue of Revan had been placed within the circle. The sculpture was made to mimic the design of the obelisks, but was obviously a recent addition. The surface was too fresh, and it bore none of the battle damage.

She knelt in the center of the circle, closed her eyes, and opened her mind to the Force. Sound rushed through her mind, then blinding darkness, then lightning and rage. She saw the battle. Revan, a lightsaber in each hand, fought a strange shadow, a being made of a thousand images laid on top of each other. They tore at each other and shook the walls of the cave. Revan was shrouded in a marble halo of bright light and dark rage. Tendrils of decay reached for Revan from something behind the shadow, not a part of it. A searing golden outline lay across the shadow's face, the mask within a mask from the assassin's vision. The moment she recognized it, the shadow turned as if it could see her. It screamed with a thousand voices and attacked her. Revan jumped to her defense, beating the shadow back. He struck down one of the images, then another, and another, but they were too many. The shadow filled the chamber and overwhelmed them both and then nothing.

* * *

She found herself on a cot in one of the tents of the Revanite camp. Khem sat nearby in meditation. Jhorval sat on the nearest cot, watching her. He smiled when she focused on him.

"You return," he said. "Dripping with the blood of the womb. You are reborn."

She pushed herself up with a groan. "I think that's cold sweats."

He chuckled. "Well, that too." He smiled at her, as if he actually liked her. "Your old life, everything you were- all of it is dead, buried inside that cave. You are made anew. Savor the moment. It won't come again. Tell me, how does it feel to see the world reborn?"

"Like I was torn apart by a shadow," she replied.

Jhorval was an elder, and very experienced. He betrayed not a flicker, but he paused for just an instant. Tearing apart by the shadow was not common.

"The vision is different for everyone," he said.

That was a lie. She was sure.

"Your experience, however, is very rare."

Truth.

"You have drawn the favor of Revan himself."

Lie.

"Now rest, while I consult with the other elders." He stood and left.

I require consultation, she thought. I have shocked them. That implies they expected nothing of me. They don't see me as a true initiate. That only makes sense if Charnus was set up. They expected a spy and found a prophet. However, none of that explains why the shadow had the mask.

"What do you think, Khem?" she asked.

"You showed no fear when the shadow attacked," he replied without opening his eyes.

She wasn't surprised he knew. She _was_ surprised he revealed it. Maybe he was starting to like her.

She put on her eyepatch scanner and watched Jhorval enter a tent. Dzoun was there with another human male and a Pureblood Sith female. Jhorval and Dzoun faced away from the assassin, but she could see the other human and the Sith. Jhorval spoke, Dzoun replied, and Jhorval spoke again.

"Perhaps she has," the Sith said.

"She drew _someone's_ attention," the human said.

Dzoun spoke.

Jhorval again.

Dzoun.

"We must ask the Master," the Sith said.

The others nodded. Dzoun activated a holocommunicator. A robed figure appeared, masculine with a hood over his face. Jhorval spoke at length, and the figure replied. Dzoun turned toward the figure enough for the assassin to see his mouth.

"Lord Zash," Dzoun said.

I never told them that.

"Zash?" the Sith said. "If she has that training, send her after the mask."

Oh, yes, send me after the mask.

"It is a remarkable opportunity," the human said.

Dzoun turned and spoke to him.

The hologram spoke.

"I agree," the Sith said. "But do we waste the chance?"

The hologram spoke again, and the other four nodded. Dzoun switched off the holo, and Jhorval and the Sith female walked toward the assassin. She quickly hid her eyepatch.

"Initiate!" Jhorval said, entering the tent. "You have been selected for an important task, your final trial before entering the Order of Revan."

"I am Ladra," the Sith Pureblood said. "Once the personal assassin of a Sith Lord, I am now the serene protector of the Master and his students. Every Revanite's initiation includes a trial of the past- a rite to bind the initiate to Revan. Your rite will be very special."

The bullshit is strong with this one.

"You will find the mask of Darth Revan," Ladra continued. "What he wore after becoming Sith. It's a powerful symbol of his greatness, long lost to us."

"Excellent," the Twi'lek said. "Archeology is my specialty."

Ladra nodded. "The mask is in a collection of antiquities possessed by my former teacher, the Sith Lord Grathan."

That strains coincidence a bit too far.

"Come with me," Ladra said. "I will get sustenance for you and your companion. While you eat, I will map out Grathan's Estate and show you where to find the mask."

Ladra was never a student of Grathan's, the assassin thought. She was an infiltrator.

* * *

"No, please!" Dorotsech cried. "Zash said she'd free me. I have a wife and children and an astromech droid... I have to live!"

"For the droid?" the assassin asked. She contemplated the snivelling scientist. Zash's orders were to silence him, which might be an excellent reason to keep him alive.

"He's wonderful, really," Dorotsech said. "He understands me. Much more than my wife sometimes. We're very... close."

"Far more than I needed," she said. "What can you do for me?"

"I'm an inventor, right?" he said. "A damn good inventor. You let me live, I'll invent you something. Whatever you want."

"I might need you to look at something for me," she said. "But, if you run from me-"

"I know. I'm dead."

"That's far too easy," she said. "But you have a family. And a droid."

He gasped.

She smiled and said gently, "I also recognize the value of keeping my word."

He nodded. "Of course, my Lord."

Once they were out of the lab, Khem said, "Not even worth devouring."

"He's just a scientist," she said. "And he might have value."

They moved around the edges of the courtyard toward the main building without notice. Grathan's troops were prepared for a frontal assault, not a stealth incursion. As they neared the building, the assassin saw Mau'te and Vette hiding behind a stack of crates and watching a side entrance. She immediately pulled back before he sensed her awareness of him.

"Your target," Khem whispered.

"He's not a target," she said. This was too much. It strained coincidence to the point of breaking.

They waited until Mau'te and Vette were gone, then entered by a different door. They worked their way to the lower levels and into the research section. She moved cautiously, searching for Mau'te, but she didn't find him on the floor. He must be here to "convince" Grathan to stay out of the conflict. That would put him a few floors down in the private quarters.

First things first, she located the cybernetics lab and recovered Dorotsech's prototype. Not an ion weapon. Cybernetics were shielded from something so obvious. It appeared to disrupt the nerve signals at the connection between man and machine. It had been tried before, but no one else could get it to work. The cybernetics would switch to alternate paths, but, the more paths it had to switch, the more it taxed the system. On someone more than half machine, the system would collapse. Skotia would have essentially random control of his body while the device was active. She pocketed the prototype and continued on.

Ladra's instructions, down to the guard movements, were spot on. The Revanites must want that mask badly. They avoided security easily, and reached the other lab undetected. The assassin quickly sliced the controls, and they were inside.

The room was filled with masks in various stages of deconstruction. Grathan obviously wanted to learn from them directly. Some were of recent design, but none had been built here. A few were ancient and possibly valuable. And, at the far end of the room, was the mask of Revan suspended in a shielded repulsor field. She sliced the controls carefully, impressed with the level of security. At last, she deactivated the shield and caught the mask as it fell. She turned it over, but the second mask wasn't there. Fresh tool marks suggested it had been removed.

She put the mask into a pocket, and searched for its companion. She found the second mask in a molecular scanner. The scanner was mapping nanocircuitry within the mask, and completed about a third of the work. According to the controls, the scanner had been running continuously for two weeks. The circuitry must be incredibly complex. She removed the mask from the scanner, dropped it into the pocket with the prototype, and turned toward the entrance.

The door opened, and three guards entered. Her slicing, apparently, need practice. She ran at the guards, igniting her saber. She killed one before he could fire and deflected bolts from the other two. Khem, right behind her, killed a second guard, and she finished off the third.

"You kill well," Khem said.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it," she replied.

They hid the bodies as best they could and made their way back to Dorotsech.

"My Lord?" he said when they entered. "I thought we were done."

"I said I needed you to look at something."

"Yes," he said. "I didn't realize it would be so soon."

She held up the small inner mask.

"That thing?" Dorotsech said.

"You've seen it?" she asked.

He nodded. "Lord Grathan asked me to look at it. It's passive code. It modifies visual input. I'm not sure what it's for."

"Thank you," she said, replacing it in her pocket. "I know exactly what it's for. I wouldn't mention it, if I were you. In fact, leave Dromund Kaas as soon as possible."

"Of course," he said. "And, thank you." He ran off.

Did the Revanites know of the mask? Ladra must have been in the lab at some point. If Grathan had already separated them, she might not suspect anything. Their technology and design were not the same. But, would she have recognized the outline from the vision in the cave? Did Ladra see the outline in her vision? If so, did she attach significance to it?

The inner mask was thin and flexible, making it easy to attach to a variety of shapes. Flexible enough that she could slide it into her boot without showing a visible mark. Once she was sure the mask was secure, she and Khem left for the Revanites.

* * *

"Free from Grathan's prison at last," Ladra said, her eyes fixed on the ancient mask. She held it tenderly and turned it in her hands. Her eyes betrayed nothing. She didn't know about the second mask. "Free from the hands of heretics. It's a wonderful day. Torrun!" She called out to the human male from the meeting with the elders. "The initiate has returned. She has the mask."

"You actually found the mask of Revan?" he said when he reached them. "And you're letting Ladra have it? She's mad you know."

Ladra slapped him on the arm. "Ignore his teasing. But, tell me, initiate, how did you kill Lord Grathan?"

"Grathan?" the assassin asked.

"I felt his death," Ladra said.

Mau'te, the assassin thought. Already stronger than a Darth.

"I never saw him," the assassin said. "Another enemy did that."

"Yes," Ladra said. "He had a lot of them. No matter." She gave the mask to Torrun. "Speak with Dzoun. He will complete your initiation."

The assassin nodded and left.

Where had they expected this to end? she wondered. The cave? No. Jhorval had his dialogue ready. The rite. They had another task prepared, something could never have completed. The shadow changed their plans. She was supposed to die or give up. No, not die. Give up. Return to Sandor. Tell him the Revanites were dull, not a threat. Paint Charnus as paranoid. The Revanites didn't feel like a threat, but they were anything but dull.

She found Dzoun near the entrance to the valley, and he waved her over.

"I've being hearing about your progress," Dzoun told her. "Your initiation hasn't been an easy one, but you met the challenge and showed you can walk Revan's path. Now you may undergo the final rite. You've earned your audience with the Master. This is a great privilege. The Master reveals himself to no one outside the order."

"I am honored," she replied.

"You may go to the Master in his chamber. He will be waiting for you. However, your companion must wait here."

Khem growled.

"I will be quite all right," she told him.

The assassin reached the Master's tent, the most distant in the compound, and found a holoemitter inside. The emitter activated, and the figure of Revan appeared.

"You who have died and been reborn- stand before me now," the figure declared. "You who have-"

The emitter was switched off. More of their empty show.

A human female appeared and said, "The time for subterfuge is over. Know me for who I am."

"You're the Master?" the assassin said.

"The ruse serves its purpose," the woman said. "Besides, it felt appropriate- Revan's own gender is unclear in many of our records."

Not to Bastila Shan, the assassin thought.

The woman continued, "I apologize for the deception, and for not meeting you sooner- but you must know how badly the Dark Council wants me dead."

"What makes the order such a threat?"

"I stumbled upon the mysteries of Revan on Korriban, when I became a Sith. That started me down a terrible path," the woman explained.

No, that's a lie.

"Revan came to Dromund Kaas after being reborn," the woman continued. "Some believe Revan died at the hands of our Emperor. I believe otherwise."

That... sounds... true. And very unexpected.

"I believe Revan overthrew the Emperor and has sat secretly on the throne for three centuries. Aside from our order, only the Dark Council knows the truth."

"You really think Revan replaced the Emperor?" the assassin asked.

"I do. It's the only way the puzzle pieces fit."

No. That is not correct. It is _one_ way the pieces fit. And she knows it.

The woman said, "I have heard whispers in the Citadel. For decades, the Emperor has been in seclusion; the Dark Council no longer speaks with him."

An old rumor, but not necessarily wrong.

"The only explanation is this: The Dark Council betrayed their leader and locked Emperor Revan away, seizing power for themselves. They seek to silence us because we know."

That's it. The lie to tell Charnus, to make him sound paranoid. And a test. They want to see what I will do.

"I founded the order so we may free our great Emperor."

That was lie. The statue in the cave was at least a century old. An order this organized, this thorough, has existed for decades.

"Now, I would ask you for your help. My agents tell me that you met with a Sith named Sandor- a man who seeks to destroy the Revanites."

Agents nothing. You let him find that token.

"End his threat. Go to Sandor and tell him that you met the Revanite leader. Tell him that the leader is his own master, Darth Charnus."

Charnus ordered Sandor to send me here to reveal himself? You need to work on your lies.

"Why would he believe me?" the assassin asked.

The woman said, "I 'obtained' this Sith amulet from Charnus. Give it to Sandor. He'll believe you stole it from his master while among the Revanites. They will turn against each other."

A desperate ploy. They didn't think I'd get this far. They had to throw this together quickly.

"When this is done, though... when you've spoken to Sandor... you cannot return here. Sandor must never suspect your true allegiance."

You don't want me to see what you're really up to.

"I understand," the assassin said, taking the amulet.

"You must walk the path of Revan on your own," the woman said. "The path to power- the path neither Jedi nor Sith. May the Force be with you. May it make you strong."

* * *

"The clever slave-turned-master," Sandor said as he entered Zash's office. "You return from having your ears filled with lies by the Revanites. I do not envy you the experience. Did you find what we need? Did you see the face of the leader?"

"Not the face," the assassin said. "But I got this." She handed him the amulet.

"Perhaps that will be enough," Sandor said. "A symbol of rank, or affiliation, or- I know this amulet! How did you obtain it?"

"Call it diplomacy," the assassin said.

"This is the amulet of my master Darth Charnus. Taken from the Order of Revan..."

"Oh, that's what they're doing," the assassin said.

"What do you mean?" Sandor asked.

"Charnus orders you to send me out there just to reveal himself with that amulet? It's absurd."

"Quite right, Apprentice," Zash said.

"Yes," Sandor said. "Yes, of course."

"I had the sense I was never an initiate," the assassin continued. "They let you find that token. They wanted to see the extent of your master's response. He chose subterfuge, indicating limited support from the Council. He acted alone, indicating a rogue attitude or an obsession. He wanted an infiltrator, suggesting he is ignorant of them. If he attacks them in the Council, he will be seen as paranoid. He is an enemy to be watched, but not yet dangerous."

"Very thorough, Apprentice," Zash said.

"You have taught me well, Master."

"Yes, yes," Sandor said. "Very calculated. Did they seem dangerous?"

The assassin shrugged. "Hard to say. They told me the Council had deposed the Emperor, and they wanted to save him."

"That rumor is decades old," Zash said. "But they don't sound like a philosophical group."

The assassin shook her head. "They had a goal, I think, but I never learned it. They were putting on a show for me. I never got near the real answer."

"We were duped and learned nothing," Sandor said.

"Not nothing," the assassin replied. "Your master thought he acted in secrecy, but he was set up. You have agents in your midst. And the Revanites are not afraid to act against the Council."

Sandor nodded. "Yes. Not heretics. Something worse. Thank you. I will inform my master."

After Sandor left, Zash asked, "What did you really find?"

"A woman," the assassin said. "A human Sith Lord. Dark-skinned, with black hair and tattoos."

"Tari Darkspanner," Zash said. "I know her. But she's not very old. Certainly not old enough to create a cult like that."

"I think she was sacrificed," the assassin said.

"Not sacrificed," Zash corrected. "She has the favor of two members of the Council. She wouldn't be touched."

The assassin smiled. " _Which_ members of the Council?"

"Very good, Apprentice," Zash said. " _Very_ good."


	21. The Knight 5

Agenord charged forward, striking at the Sith pureblood with his training saber. She fell back, allowing the attack, and giving him the chance to overextend himself. Her pike had an advantage at distance, so they spent the match dancing with each other, approach and retreat. Agenord moved in again, and the pureblood saw an opening and struck. Her counter ticked up by one, the score 20-14 in Agenord's favor. Master Jasaesh sighed. She was supposed to be instructing him not losing to him.

"How are you two still standing?" Kira asked, watching them from the sidelines.

"You need to work on your endurance, Padawan," Jasaesh replied.

As Jasaesh and Agenord prepared for another round, a group entered, led by General Var Suthra.

Agenord shook the sweat from his lekku and said, "You're early."

"We've been at this three hours," Jasaesh told him.

"Oh. Then you're right on time." He greeted the general, Agent Galen, and Doctor Tarnis, and turned to the others. "This is your team, Doctor?"

"They are," Tarnis said. He introduced each of them.

"Any luck finding the data card?" one of them asked.

"Yes," Agenord said. "But the data was corrupted. We don't know who made it."

"Corruption suggests a slicer," another said. "Our security automatically corrupts unauthorized transfers."

"Agent Galen told me the same thing," Agenord said. "But, I thought your system was isolated."

"The slicer could have used a droid as a relay," the second team member continued, a woman named Nahla. "We scan for that, but no system is perfect."

"You don't suspect us, do you?" a third said.

"Of course he does," said the first, a man named Uzori. "That's his job. He needs to look at everyone."

"You don't sound nervous," Agenord said.

Uzori shrugged. "It's part of the job."

Tarnis, however, didn't seem to care. He'd been watching Jasaesh. "You're pureblood Sith," he said to her.

"I am," she replied. "My mother was a Darth."

"A Darth?" Tarnis said.

Jasaesh nodded. "She got involved in something risky and paid the price."

"They didn't go after you?" one of the team members said.

"No," Jasaesh replied. "The Sith encourage attachments for the same reason Jedi deny them. With that attachment comes a desire for protection. The Sith have learned to respect it. If something goes bad, the family of Sith Lords are allowed to leave the Empire quickly and quietly. They resettle somewhere safe. Alderaan has an entire village of them."

"The Jedi didn't care?" Nahla asked.

"Not at all," Jasaesh said. "The Order has quite a few children of Sith Lords."

"How are you progressing with the planet prison?" the general asked.

Tarnis replied, "The satellites are ready to go up."

"Here?" Kira said.

"Not yet," Tarnis said.

"What?" she asked.

"Relax, Kira," the general said. "The planet prison has defensive capabilities. Protecting Coruscant was always part of its role. But we need to build the infrastructure first."

"And only the members of my team have the launch codes," Tarnis added.

"Any idea who's behind it?" one of them asked, a technician named Jonkan.

"Not yet," Agenord said. "I'll know more when I get the report back on the snipers."

"Shouldn't you be looking?" Uzori asked.

"We are," Agenord said. "Master Jasaesh has reached out to a few of her informants, but someone is scaring them. It's frustrating, I know, but, sometimes, waiting is all we can do."

"And training," Uzori said.

Agenord shrugged. "I expect a difficult fight before this is over."

"It's the Empire, isn't it?" Nahla asked.

"It's possible," the general said.

"My grandparents died during the sacking of Coruscant," she said.

"So did my uncle," Agenord told her.

"The planet prison could have stopped it. Most of it, anyway," Nahla said.

"We'll find the people who did this," Tarnis said. "Don't worry." He turned to the Jedi. "Thank you, Master Agenord and Master-"

"Jasaesh," she said.

"All right," Tarnis said. "Let's go. We need to increase the security on those satellites."

Once they were gone, Agenord said, "Well?"

Jasaesh shook her head.

"What did I miss?" Kira asked.

Agenord said, "Master Jasaesh has a talent for getting past mental defenses."

"It doesn't always work," Jasaesh said. "Your people are well trained, Agent Galen."

"You're sure it's one of them?" Kira asked.

"Positive," Agenord said. "That data wasn't corrupted. It was unusable. Not even the person who made it could get information from it."

"That doesn't make any sense," Kira said.

"It's a delaying tactic," the general told her. "Master Agenord believes they intend to use planet prison."

"Why haven't they done it yet?" she asked.

"Timing," Agenord said. "The best time to set it off is three weeks from now, when the senators arrive for the new session."

General Var Suthra said, "Senators, their retainers, lobbyists, and anyone else who wants to be here when the Senate is in session will be crowding the skies."

"All those people will die?" Kira asked.

"No," Agenord said. "Their escape pods will still work. The people on the ground, however..."

"Any way through that thing?" Kira asked.

Agenord said, "Power down, coast through, and start up again. But that will only work for small ships."

Kira looked at him. "How do you know so much about this?"

"My father is a cybernetics engineer. He taught me a few things."

"All this runaround is because Master Kiwiiks sensed them, isn't it?" Kira asked.

"Bela has always had a talent for that," Jasaesh said.

"You don't really have informants, do you?" Kira asked.

Jasaesh shook her head. "Master Agenord," she said. "It's been a while since you've used a pike against me."

"It's not like they'd let me change in the middle of a fight."

"Still," Jasaesh said. "I'd like to see if you've improved."

"I'd like that," he said.

"Will you be helping us?" the general asked.

"I can't," Jasaesh said. "I've been assigned to Balmorra. I leave today. But, you have my best student. You'll be fine."

"Please don't feed the ego," Kira said.

Jasaesh patted Kira on the shoulder and said her goodbyes.

After Jasaesh was gone, Kira said, "She _was_ talking about a lightsaber pike, right?"

"Yes," Agenord said. "Of course."

"Yeah," Kira said. "That's exactly how that sounded."

"Did we learn anything from the weapon crates?" the general asked.

"Military grade," Galen said. "Common for non-aligned systems, like the sniping rifle."

"Plausible deniability," Agenord said.

"Yes," the general said.

"Three more weeks," Kira said. "What do they do until then?"

Agent Galen's comm beeped.

"You had to ask," Agenord said to Kira.

Galen answered his comm, listened, and said, "Understood. No one touches the bodies until we get there." He switched off the comm. "Tarnis and his team were taken. Their security detail was killed."

"Can we track them?" Agenord asked.

"A security team is following them," Galen said.

"Get me a transport," Agenord said. "Fill me in on the way."

Galen activated his comm.

"Master Agenord," the general said. "Take Kira with you. You may need the help."

Agenord looked at her. "Can you follow orders?"

"If I have to," Kira said.

"You have to," Agenord replied. "Let's go."

* * *

"Where are we headed?" Agenord asked the pilot. He settled into his seat while Kira and Teeseven climbed into the transport.

"Our team says they're headed toward the spaceport," the pilot said. He took off and turned in that direction.

"Shit!" Agenord said. "They want to transfer the hostages to a shuttle. We'll never be able to track them."

"Are they taking them off planet?" Kira asked.

"I doubt it," Agenord said. "But the traffic around the spaceport will make will make tracking them impossible."

"Master Jedi," the pilot said. "The security team found the speeder at the entrance to a docking bay, but the bay is heavily defended."

"Understood," Agenord said. "Tell them to wait for me before they move in."

They reached the docking bay and found the security team behind barricades exchanging fire with the defenders. The team leader, a sergeant, motioned Agenord to a safe area and joined him.

"How many?" Agenord asked.

"I count twenty-two, Master Jedi," the sergeant said. "But that doesn't include the Control Room."

"Military grade weapons?"

"Yes, sir."

"Any sign of the hostages?"

"No, sir."

Agenord examined the bay. "Have any shuttles taken off?"

"We didn't see any," he said. "But we could smell exhaust fumes when we got here."

"We need those men alive," Agenord said, nodding at the defenders. "As many as possible."

"That might be difficult, sir," the sergeant said.

"Do your best," Agenord told him.

"What's the plan, sir?"

The closest defenders were in three groups of four behind improvised barricades. The control room was on the second floor with only stairway access from within the bay. Additional defenders were based at the base and top of the stairs.

"We'll move in staggered groups," Agenord said. "Kira and Teeseven will attack the group to the left. You'll concentrate firepower to the right. The men near the stairs hopefully won't fire on their allies. Kira will hold the left barricade, and I'll attack on the right. Once we've captured the barricades, move in your men in three groups, one group at a time. Then, Kira and I will jump to the top of the stairs while you fire on the men at the base of the stairs. We'll take out the men at the top then capture the control room. You deal with the rest."

"Yes, sir," the sergeant said. He turned to his men. "I need three groups, two by two formation. We're going to follow the Jedi in. Suppression fire and staggered advance. Make it happen."

Kira felt a sudden rush. Jedi shouldn't care, but her fight or flight wasn't listening. She drew her saber and ignited both blades.

"One blade against blasters," Agenord told her.

"Right," she said, deactivating one blade. Shit. She knew better than that.

Agenord ignited his saber, and the battle began. He rushed in, faster than should be safe. He attacked on multiple fronts; deflecting fire, throwing debris, and pushing weapons to redirect their aim. He incapacitated the first group of men before Kira and Teeseven reached the left barricade. He cleared his second group moments after Kira and Teeseven finished. The Coruscant security team moved in, and Agenord joined Kira at the left barricade, the location closest to the stairs.

"You're holding back," he whispered to her, absently deflecting a blaster shot.

"It's complicated," she whispered back.

"We don't have time for complicated," he said. "Fight now. We'll deal with it later."

We? Whatever. "Fine. I'll stop holding back."

"Master Jedi?" the sergeant asked.

"Strategizing," Agenord said. "We're ready. Teeseven, wait here."

The droid whined.

Agenord waved to Kira and ran into the docking bay. She scrambled after him. He jumped to the top of a freight loader and, from there, to the top of the stairs, deflecting blaster fire the whole time. He struck the defenders with a wave of power when he landed, throwing them into the wall or down the stairs. Kira landed beside him just as he incapacitated the last man. Agenord tried the door, found it locked, and cut a hole in it. He sent the cut section of door flying into the room, scattering the defenders. He rushed in and attacked the men. Kira followed, doing her best not to hold back. The defenders were soon lying on the floor, injured or unconscious.

"Better," Agenord said to her. He found the leader of the group and said, "Get up."

The man groaned as he stood up. "Jedi scum. I'll kill you... someday..."

Kira said, "You have a real knack for making friends."

"Where are the hostages?" Agenord said.

The man laughed. "We were the decoys. Now you'll never see your people again."

"Is that so?" Kira said. "Give me a minute with this guy. I'll make him talk."

"Go ahead," the man said. "You'll get nothing. The boss would kill me for talking."

"This'll be easy," Kira said.

"We don't have the time," Agenord replied. He waved his hand, and the man flew back into the wall and fell to the ground.

"Oh, so you're _that_ kind of Jedi," Kira said. "Good to know."

Agenord grabbed the man by the collar and pulled him up. "If I don't find those hostages, thousands of people are going to die. It's their lives or yours."

"You'll protect me?"

"Yes," Agenord said.

"And my men?"

"Yes," Agenord hissed.

"Right. The Justicars have them," the man said. "We don't know why. We were sent to distract you, slow you down. That's all I know."

"Where did you get the weapons?" Agenord asked.

The man shook his head. "We don't know that either. They showed up nine months ago and started handing out weapons. Told us to make trouble. We thought they were Hutts trying to move in." He looked at Agenord. "They weren't Hutts, were they?"

Agenord didn't answer.

"Master Jedi," the sergeant called from the door. "The docking bay is ours."

"Put these men into protective custody," Agenord said. "They're willing to cooperate."

"Yes, sir."

Their leader looked at the sergeant. "How many dead?"

"Three."

The man laughed and looked at Agenord. "Maybe you're not scum."

On the way back to the transport, Agenord told Kira, "You did well. Once you stopped holding back."

She turned to Teeseven and said, "Tell me you recorded that!"

Teeseven whistled.

"What did he say?" she asked.

"I don't know," Agenord said. "I need a translator." He activated his comm. "Agent Galen, we captured the docking bay. The hostages are gone, but we have a lead. Have you found anything?"

"Yes," Galen said. "We need to show you something."

* * *

They found Galen at the morgue in the main SIS building. The area had been closed off, and only one medical examiner was present. The five bodies of the security team lay on tables, each covered with a sheet.

"Show him," Galen said to the medical examiner.

She pulled the sheet from one of the bodies. The security officer had a single wound, a circular hole through the heart.

Agenord saw the wound and said, "Shit."

Galen sighed. "That's what we thought."

"That's a lightsaber wound," Kira said.

Agenord examined the hole. "Straight. Clean. Very little movement of the blade after it went in. This was done by an expert."

"No one sees this," Galen said to the medical examiner. She nodded.

Galen led Agenord and Kira to a secure room. "What's your lead?" he asked.

"Justicars," Agenord said.

Galen shook his head. "The men in the docking bay were Black Sun. They don't work together."

"Probably a request from their weapon supplier," Agenord said.

"Justicars control a big area," Galen said. "And we don't have a lot of leads."

"The people on the research team," Agenord said. "Do they each know a portion of the launch codes?"

"Yes," Galen said.

"We still have three weeks," Kira reminded them.

Agenord shook his head. "No we don't. We have as long as the team can last. I shook the tree harder than I thought. They'll fire the weapon as soon as they can."

"And the team?" Kira asked.

Agenord shook his head again. "How long do we have after the satellites launch?" he asked Galen.

"About four hours," Galen said. "They go up cloaked and move into position. Then they need to be recharged from the surface."

"You'd think that could be done faster," Kira said.

"It could," Galen told her. "They were designed for a test. The power up is slow so it can be monitored, and the power supply creates a massive heat signature. We'll be able to track it."

"By then, the team will be dead," Kira said. "What do we do now?"

"We shake the Justicars," Agenord told her.

Galen said, "I know a few places to start."

"Send me a list," Agenord said. "Kira, Teeseven, time to go."

On the way back to the Senate, Kira said, "What did you mean 'we'?"

Agenord looked at her.

"In the docking bay," she said. "You said 'we' will handle it."

"Oh," he said. "If you want help, you'll have it. If you want me to back off, I'll do that. But, when I'm in charge, I take responsibility."

He would say something like that. "I'll deal with it," she said. "And I'll do my job."

He was silent for a while then said, "You don't need to go with me."

"Why not?"

"The way I... interrogated the prisoner. I know it bothered you."

"Oh," she said. "No. You need me here."

He looked at her. "I do?"

"I didn't like it," she said. "But I'm starting to think maybe you are a Champion of the Force. Maybe. You need someone watching you. The last thing we want is for someone like you to fall to the Dark Side."

He stopped and looked at her like she'd accidentally gone too far again. "You're right," he said softly. "We don't want that." He stared at nothing for a while then smiled at her. "Welcome to the team."


	22. The Hunter 3

"That's not fair," Mako sighed.

"What?" Vette asked while pushing down her pants with one arm.

"You," Mako said. "That body. You. That body. It's not fair."

"I don't think Ter'viro cares," Vette said.

"We're not like that," Mako said. "We can't. While we're on the Hunt. We can't do that." She looked down at her own body and sighed again. "How did you get these tickets, again?"

"Sith... stuff," Vette said.

Mako shrugged. "How's your arm?"

"Better," Vette said. "The bones are knitted but not fully healed. They told me not to overdo it until the bruising is gone. How are you getting along with Ter'viro?"

Mako said, "He made me dinner to apologize, so we're okay."

"Why was _he_ apologizing?" Vette said. "He jumped in front of lightning for you. If he'd done that for Taunt, she'd be on her third blowjob by now."

"I know," Mako said. "I don't like him doing that. I don't like seeing him do that. You know why."

"I don't care why," Vette said. "I care that a guy jumps in front of lightning for my friend."

"I guess," Mako said. She finished undressing and pulled on her robe.

"So," Vette said cautiously. "Dinner, huh?"

"Yeah," Mako said. "He's really good."

"He is?"

"Yeah. And he's a vegetarian. He's that big, and he's a vegetarian. I think that's cool."

"He's actually good, huh?"

Mako nodded. "He learned from his mother, I guess. Picks his own herbs and everything." She helped Vette with her robe.

"How much more for the Hunt?" Vette asked.

"The Grand Melee," Mako said. "It's tomorrow. A fight to the death. Sometimes. Not always, but usually. I looked at the competition. They're good, but I think he's better." She sounded confident but looked nervous.

"Mau'te said Ter'viro's mother is really scary," Vette told her.

"Really?" Mako said.

"Good scary, I guess. Tough scary."

"That's good."

Vette put her good arm around Mako and pulled her close. "Regular scary couldn't get rid of him," she whispered. "Regular scary would be just fine."

Mako looked at Vette carefully. "Oh," she said. "That's... nice. I guess."

Vette hugged her friend, and they walked out to the spa.

* * *

"You're alive!" Crysta said as Ter'viro and Mako walked into the Enclave. "Some Mandalorian big shot named Tarro Blood said you were dead. They're about to start the melee without you!"

Ter'viro shook his head. "I really hate him."

"When do we get to kill him?" Mako asked.

"After the Hunt, sugar," Crysta said. She turned to Ter'viro. "Now, get in there."

Ter'viro headed toward the arena while Crysta and Mako ran to the bleachers. The guard at the door nodded to Ter'viro, opened the door, and shut it hard behind him.

"-and the last hunter left standing joins the Great Hunt. Simple as that," Huntmaster Assistant Lek declared to the gathered hunters. "All weapons are allowed, but you fight alone. No assistants. And it looks like we have a latecomer!"

"I'm not late," Ter'viro said.

"We were told you were dead," Lek said. "Too bad for your competitors, huh?" He turned back to the hunters. "Killing isn't strictly necessary, but it's well within the rules." He looked up at the Huntmaster. "Will you do us the honor?"

"Aooowararo, scrawhro achuwhaoworcc worarcwh rranoorcro ahwh waworaaoac rawhwa wawowwworaao," the Wookiee Huntmaster replied. "Oowhwo achuwhaoworc worarcwhc woaoworcwhraan rranoorcro ahwh hoahoaaooorcro. Rroooowa achuwhaoahwhrr aooo raanan!"

The crowd cheered the Huntmaster and the competitors moved into position.

"We all heard tales of your exploits," a Mirialan woman said to Ter'viro. "Perhaps I'll turn them into a song to commemorate your death."

Ter'viro shrugged. "I'm not dying."

She laughed. "I'd wish you luck, but it wouldn't help. So, I'll just say goodbye."

"You hunters are the best that the galaxy's goons and thug lords could send us," Lek declared. "Show us which one of you will join the Great Hunt. Fight!"

Ter'viro and the Mirialan woman drew on each other and fired, spray and pray, while Ter'viro ran at her. The Mirialan hit him with a grazing shot across his armor, and Ter'viro's fist caught her on the jaw. He ran past while she was still falling, heading toward a Trandoshan shooting at a Gamorrean. The Trandoshan turned in time to see Ter'viro's fist, then he went down. Again, Ter'viro didn't wait to see the other hunter fall but ran at the next target. The Gamorrean snorted a laugh and waved Ter'viro forward. He waited for the Twi'lek, grunted in shock at Ter'viro's punch, staggered back, and fell to the floor. Ter'viro turned toward the last two, a Rodian and a human. The Rodian was dead. The human was severely injured but aiming at Ter'viro. They fired at each other. Ter'viro was hit in the chest, but his armor stopped most of it. The human was hit in his weapon arm, rendering it useless. He tried to grab his weapon with his other hand, but Ter'viro closed with him and knocked him out.

"The melee is over!" Lek declared. "One hunter remains!"

The crowd cheered.

"Quite a show you put on," Lek said to Ter'viro. "Never seen a Melee like it. How do you feel?"

Ter'viro shrugged. "Hungry."

Lek laughed and slapped him on the shoulder.

"What about him?" Ter'viro asked, nodding at the human.

"He'll need a new arm," Lek said. "But he'll live."

"Sugar!" Crysta said when Ter'viro exited the arena. "I'm glad my money's on you!"

"Did you get shot?" Mako asked.

"Yeah," Ter'viro said.

"Are you okay?" Mako examined the scorch mark on his armor.

"Probably."

"Probably?" she said. "We'll get you checked out."

"Okay."

Lek said, "The Huntmaster is waiting."

"Right, sugar," Crysta said. "Time to make it official."

On the way to the Huntmaster's office, Mako said, "What was that Mirialan woman saying?"

Ter'viro shrugged. "She wanted to write a song about killing me."

"Were you flirting with her?" Mako asked.

"Not if she wanted to kill me."

"Juda said you flirted."

"Not about killing me."

"Fine. It sounds like flirting."

"Not if she kills me."

"Yeah, I guess."

"Anwoao aoacwo achuwhaoworc caorawhwa rhwowwoorcwo scwo," the Huntmaster said when they entered his chamber. "Acwo ahc acoowhoorcwowa rhworooowhwa raanan oaooscscoowh achuwhaoworcc. Anwoao ahao rhwo orwhooohwh aoacraao-"

"This is simply ridiculous," Tarro Blood said, forcing his way into the room. "I mean, really- this needs to stop right now. That... thing... does not deserve to enter the Great Hunt. His credentials are lies fabricated by his little gutter rat of a sidekick. He deserves no honors."

"You lying, cheating, murdering scum!" Mako cried and lunged at Tarro. Ter'viro grabbed her and pulled her back.

Lek said, "We know this hunter's history, Blood. The Huntmaster has ruled."

"This is a place of honor, a competition of elites," Tarro said. "Mandalore will hear of this!"

Ter'viro stepped forward, looming over Tarro Blood. "You got scared."

Tarro exhaled sharply and snarled, "Before the Great Hunt is over, I will have your skull in my hands!" He turned and walked out.

Lek laughed and said, "The Great Hunt just got more interesting."

"You said it, honey," Crysta added.

The Huntmaster called for silence and explained the rules of the Hunt to Ter'viro.

"Sounds straightforward enough," Ter'viro said.

The Huntmaster laughed. "Ohwoanoaooscwo aooo aoacwo rrrcworaao achuwhao."

"Crysta will fill you in on the rest of the details," Lek said.

"That's tomorrow, sugar," Crysta said. "Tonight, you get to celebrate your victory. On the Huntmaster's tab."

"Aorcro whooao aooo achurcao scwo," the Huntmaster said, and everyone laughed.

* * *

Cheers and table pounding met them when they entered the cantina. Ter'viro shrugged in response, and the crowd laughed, all but the most severe. Those that followed the helmet rule nodded respectfully and sipped from their straws.

Ter'viro was guided to a table of honor, but his way was suddenly blocked by the Gamorrean from the arena. A head shorter but nearly as massive, he scowled at the huge Twi'lek. Ter'viro shrugged at him, and the Gamorrean punched Ter'viro, turning him part way around. The Twi'lek straightened himself and turned back.

"Are we good?" Ter'viro asked.

The Gamorrean snorted a laugh, nodded, and returned to the bar.

Crysta watched the Gamorrean and shook her head. "I'm starting to think that rumor about you is true."

"Rumor?" Mako said.

"Our Mister Ter'viro beat a Wookiee arm-wrestling," Crysta said while they were taking their seats.

"I didn't beat him exactly," Ter'viro said. "I just held him back for a while."

"How?" Mako asked.

"It was a scam he pulled," Ter'viro said. "He was kind of a runt Wookiee. Hold him back for five seconds, and you win his pot for the night. I held him back for seven."

"That's six seconds more than most, honey," Crysta said.

Ter'viro shrugged.

"So," Mako said, looking at her menu. "What are we getting?"

Someone yelled, "You!" The Mirialan hunter from the fight stood at the door, glaring at Ter'viro. She walked up to him and said, "I've never been taken down like that in my life." She stabbed at him with a finger. "You better _fucking_ win! I don't want to lose like that to second place." She turned around and stormed out.

"Are you sure that's not flirting?" Mako asked.

"Pretty sure," Ter'viro said.

"Sounded like flirting," Mako said.

Ter'viro shrugged again.

Crysta said, "Mako, honey, you have got to find some nicer guys. But that's for another day. Let's talk about the Hunt."

Mako laughed suddenly. "Oh yeah." She looked at Ter'viro. "You made it."

"We made it," he said.

"Braden would be proud of you."

"He'd be proud of you too," Ter'viro told her.

"Yeah," she said softly. "I think he would."

Crysta smiled. "Honey," she said to Mako. " _That_ was flirting."

Mako stared at her. "That wasn't flirting. Why would you say that was flirting? I didn't say flirting. He didn't say flirting. Did you say flirting? Nobody said flirting. We can't be flirting on the Hunt, so I don't know why you said that was flirting. That's just crazy." She stared at her menu.

Crysta waited patiently for the tirade to end.

"Mako, honey, do you have a good friend you can talk to?"

"Yeah. Sure. Why?"

Crysta patted her on the shoulder. "All right. Let's talk about the Hunt."


	23. The Trooper 2

"You listen to me, Kardan," a voice called out.

Cyr'rnin and Jorgan moved into the room slowly, taking a defensive position behind a large piece of equipment.

"You've already put my operation at risk." The speaker wore an Imperial officer's uniform and was flanked by two Imperial soldiers. "You will do exactly as I say, when I say, or-"

"Or you'll what, Captain?" Jek Kardan said. "I'm not one of your lock-stepping drones. I never signed on for that." He motioned toward a door behind him. "You clean up your own mess. End of discussion."

"How dare you-" the captain began.

Kardan spotted Cyr'rnin and Jorgan and said, "Intruders!"

The Imperials drew their weapons and turned toward the Republic soldiers.

Kardan said, "Put those blasters on the floor, soldiers. Nice and slow."

"Imperial soldiers," Cyr'rnin said with disgust. "You're a traitor, just like Tavus and the others."

"I'm not Imperial, soldier," Kardan said. "I'm just a man helping his team. Now put that weapon down or- A Havoc badge? Is this a joke? No, no- you must be the new recruit Tavus told me about. So you survived after all."

"I'm not interested in compliments from a traitor," Cyr'rnin said.

Kardan shook his head. "It's not treason when the Republic betrays you first; it's self-preservation."

"What are you waiting for, Kardan?" the captain said. "Kill them! Or do you lack the true resolve to fight for the Empire?"

Kardan shook his head. "My loyalty is to Tavus. Not to your Empire. I don't kill good soldiers or civilians. I'm heading down to the Works to make sure everything is prepped. But, in the spirit of this alliance-" He hit his command console, and the door behind Cyr'rnin and Jorgan locked. "Do yourself a favor and die now, soldier-before everything you fight for collapses."

The Imperials dropped behind the control console and opened fire, and Kardan ran out another exit. Cyr'rnin watched Kardan leave then fired on the Imperials.

"Not a great situation, ma'am," Jorgan said.

"No shit!" Cyr'rnin threw a flash-bang grenade.

The captain hit a control on the console, and a turret lowered from the ceiling and started firing.

"You're shitting me," Jorgan said.

They dropped their heads below the equipment as blaster fire tore into the machinery. Cyr'rnin looked over their options. Their concussion grenades were too heavy for an enclosed space. She had an ion grenade, but she'd have to expose herself to throw it. She needed to think fast. Their barricade could stop rifle fire, but the turret would eventually cut a hole in it. She was working through more options when something heavy hit the locked door. A moment later, an orange lightsaber blade stabbed through the door and cut away the lock. The door was thrown open, and Agenord, Kira, and Teeseven rushed in. The blaster fire immediately switched to the new targets. The Imperial captain tried to take control of the turret but was too late. The concentrated fire from the turret was much easier for Agenord to deflect. He sprayed it across the console, forcing the Imperials into hiding, then turned it back on the turret, blowing it apart.

"Master Agenord?" Cyr'rnin said.

"Cyr'rnin. Sergeant," Agenord said while deflecting blaster fire. "I hate to tell you this, but I need them alive."

"That might be difficult, Master Jedi," Jorgan said.

"Just a minute," Agenord told him and advanced on the Imperials. He threw the two soldiers into the wall with the Force and pulled their rifles from them. He ran at the captain, blocking the officer's desperate blaster fire, and severed his hand. "Now tell me-" Agenord began.

One of the soldiers drew a pistol and fired at Agenord. The Jedi deflected automatically, killing the soldier. The other soldier threw away his weapon and raised his hands.

"Where is the research team?" Agenord said to the captain.

"Oh," the captain said. "In there." He indicated a side door. "But you're a little late."

Kira ran into the room, her saber ready. They heard voices, and she came out a moment later, shaking her head.

Agenord asked, "Who was the other voice?"

"One of the engineers," Kira said. "He didn't last, but he told me Tarnis is a Sith Lord."

The captain chuckled.

Agenord looked at him. "Don't push me, Imp."

The officer backed down.

"Cyr'rnin," Agenord said. "Give me a hand. We need these two tied up and locked in that room."

"We can request a team from General Garza," Cyr'rnin said as she and Jorgan secured the soldier.

Agenord shook his head. "I want SIS to have them."

"You'll get nothing from us," the captain said.

"Should we kill you now?" Agenord asked.

The officer looked at the dead soldier. "Not necessarily."

"Yeah," Agenord said. Once the prisoners were secure, he contacted Agent Galen. "Agent Galen, we found the team, but-" he began.

"The research team is dead," Galen said. "We detected the launch of the satellites, but they cloaked as soon as they were in the air."

"We captured two Imperial soldiers," Agenord said. "Send a team to this location to get them. And one of the engineers survived long enough to give us a message. Tarnis is a Sith Lord."

"That explains a lot," Galen said.

"What about the generator?" Kira asked.

"You won't believe that part," Galen replied. "The heat signature coming from the Jedi Temple."

Kira said, "Oh, you've got to be kidding me."

"The Temple?" Agenord said. He turned to Cyr'rnin.

"I'll take care of this immediately," she said to her holocomm.

"Good," the comm replied. "Garza out."

"Cyr'rnin-" Agenord began.

"We thank you for the help, Master Agenord," she said. "But we need to-"

"I need to speak with your commanding officer immediately," Agenord said. "Teeseven, use the command console to set up a conference call." He turned back to Agent Galen. "Agent, I need a holo-conference with General Var Suthra and General Garza. How long will that take?"

Galen said, "The clock is ticking, Master Agenord."

"Trust me, Agent," Agenord said.

Galen nodded. "General Var Suthra is here; General Garza is down the hall. This won't take long."

Teeseven plugged into the console then remotely accessed the comm signal. After a buzz of static, Agent Galen appeared to be standing next to them. General Var Suthra soon walked into view, shaking his head.

"A Sith, working as my chief scientist!" Var Suthra said. "How can I defend the Republic if I can't trust my own people?"

"What's this about a Sith?" General Garza asked, entering the conference. "And why is Havoc Squad standing around."

"A Sith infiltrator was the head of one of our research teams," Agenord told her. "He has the Planet Prison, and he's about to set it off. He and an unknown number of Imperials are in the ruins of the Jedi Temple. If we're going to stop them in time, I need Havoc Squad."

"Havoc Squad is currently two people, Master Jedi," Garza said. "Not enough to take on that many troops."

"I didn't mean Havoc Squad alone, General," Agenord said. "But no one on this planet knows the layout of the Temple better Cyr'rnin."

"I don't know if that's true exactly, Master Agenord," Cyr'rnin said.

Agenord smiled at her. "How many maps have you gone through?"

"Two-hundred and twenty-three," she said with a shrug.

"Out of?"

"Two-hundred and, uh, thirty-one. That I could find, that is. But those maps only go back four centuries. Uh, four-and-half. Technically."

Agenord looked at General Garza.

"Havoc Squad is on a time sensitive mission, Master Agenord," Garza told him.

"I'll help them with it," he said. "It'll go fast."

"Ma'am," Jorgan said. "He might be right about that."

Cyr'rnin asked, "Any idea why they're in the Temple?"

"They didn't find it," Agenord told her.

"Find what?" she said.

"We don't know," Agenord said. "But the attack on the Temple never made tactical sense."

"He's right," Garza said. "The Temple was nearly empty. Most of the Jedi were deployed for the war. That attack only makes sense if the Sith were looking for something."

"Could we get a map of the Temple?" Cyr'rnin said.

Teeseven whistled, and a map appeared.

Cyr'rnin centered the map on one spot and zoomed in. "If they're looking for something, they'll go through the Entrance Hall. It gives them access to the Archives here, the secondary Council room here, and this elevator. It's thought to still be functional, and would take them to this section of the Works, which is a very defensible area." She looked at Sergeant Jorgan. "Kardan said something about the Works."

Jorgan nodded. "He had to go to the Works to set something up."

"If he said that," Garza said. "It's something that'll need explosives. I'll send you a demolitions team."

"We'll need more than that," Agenord said.

"Lieutenant," Var Suthra said over his shoulder. "Contact General Madine. We need a Sentinel team. Highest priority." He turned back. "Anti-Force sensitive training. It sounds like you'll need them."

Agenord nodded. "We can't go through that elevator. That section will be too well defended. We don't have the time. Does the Temple have a back door?"

"Two, actually," Cyr'rnin said. "Maintenance tunnels here and here. The collapse might have filled them in."

"They've had time to clear out the tunnels," Agenord said.

Var Suthra said, "Those tunnels would be a choke point."

Jorgan said, "Get me some snipers, General. I'll get you through."

Var Suthra nodded.

"This makes sense," Galen said. "If this Kardan is anywhere, he'd be here. But I have to warn you, the droids in that area are rebelling."

"Droids don't rebel," Agenord said. "They've been reprogrammed. The Imps are using them for cover."

Garza said, "I've informed Master Satele of the situation. She's sending another Jedi that was already in your area. And she's asked to join the call."

"Teeseven," Agenord said.

Teeseven beeped, and Master Satele appeared.

Master Satele looked at everyone and nodded a greeting. "So, Bela was more right than she thought. How much time do we have?"

"Just under three hours," Galen said.

Satele shook her head then stopped suddenly. "Cyr'rnin?"

"Master Satele," Cyr'rnin said. "It's an honor, ma'am. It's... it's always an honor, ma'am."

Satele blinked. "You... grew."

"It's been known to happen," Cyr'rnin said. "I'm still shorter than Master Agenord. By six whole centimeters."

Satele looked at Agenord as if to say, " _Master_ Agenord?"

Agenord shrugged with his eyes.

"Lieutenant," Jorgan said. "Is this balcony intact?"

"Unknown," Cyr'rnin said.

"If I could get the snipers up there, we could control this whole area." He indicated the Entrance Hall.

Kira said, "We need to go through them to get up there, don't we?"

Teeseven whistled, and whistled again.

"What's wrong, Teeseven?" Agenord said. "Is it Timmy?"

"Timmy?" Satele asked.

"The son of a droid mechanic," Kira told him. "He's bonded with Teeseven. He gets into trouble a lot."

Teeseven whistled a negative.

Agenord said, "If it's that important, use the console."

Teeseven's scomp link spun rapidly.

"Teeseven partner Ven Zallow," Kira read from the console.

"He was owned by Master Zallow?" Cyr'rnin said.

"Yes," Satele said. "Yes, he was."

Kira continued, "Teeseven Temple maintenance shaft. Teeseven Temple- access codes!"

Master Satele said, "Yes, he does."

Agenord said, "Teeseven, you just became the most important droid on this planet."

Teeseven whistled his happiness.

"Agent Galen," Agenord said. "We're going to need some low-light goggles."

Galen nodded.

Garza said, "Your team will meet you at the entrance to the Works. While you're doing that, I will send troops against the elevator. That might get them to send out more troops."

Master Satele said, "I'll add a couple of Jedi to that attack, or they won't believe it's real."

Cyr'rnin said, "Now we just the data from the Justicar-" She looked up, and Yvie and Qyzen entered the holo call.

Yvie said, "Hey, Agenord, Master Satele, Cyr'rnin. You're going to help me with the Noetikons, or whatever?"

"Is this Master Kriranda?" Jorgan asked.

Yvie replied, "Do I look skinny and flat?"

Agenord said, "This is our other cousin, Yvisnusiish."

"Oh," Jorgan said. "It's an honor, Master... Jedi."

Yvie rolled her eyes. "Y-vis-nu-si-ish. It means 'she-who-watches'."

"Of course," he said.

"So," Yvie said, "You're getting me to the Archives?"

Agenord shook his head. "We need to stop the superweapon first."

"Actually," Master Satele said. "Master Yvisnusiish needs to get to the Archive as soon as she can. Especially if Imperials are in the Temple. The fate of the Jedi Order is at stake."

Agenord scanned the map and nodded. "This will work. We can't be caught between two groups. The Archives would be mostly empty. The Sith wouldn't want the regular troops damaging anything. If the snipers and the Sentinel team can hold off the Imperials, we'll have enough time to clear the Archives."

"Good luck," Garza said.

"And may the Force be with you," Satele added.

Jorgan chuckled. "Three Force sensitives, ma'am," he said to Cyr'rnin. "I'm starting to think the ambassador was right."

"Four, if you count Mau'te," Yvie said.

Cyr'rnin exhaled sharply and turned away. Everyone looked at her except Agent Galen. He looked at Master Satele.

"We don't count Mau'te, do we?" Agenord said to Yvie in a low growl.

"Mau'te?" General Garza asked.

Yvie nodded. "He's Agenord's twin brother."

"Fraternal twin," Agenord snarled. "We are _not_ identical."

Garza said, "I take it he's not a Jedi?"

Master Satele gave her a warning look, but Garza ignored it.

"Not anymore," Yvie said. "He was expelled from the Order for what he did to Cyr'rnin. He's a Sith Lord now."

Everyone stared at Agenord, except Galen. He still watched Master Satele.

"That's _why_ we don't count him," Agenord said.

Yvie shrugged.

"Master Agenord-," Var Suthra began but couldn't finish.

General Garza looked at Master Satele, found nothing, then turned to Agenord. "Master Agenord, what would you do if this Mau'te was in the Temple."

Agenord turned a hard gaze toward her. "I would kill him." He gave Teeseven a slight push with the Force, disconnecting him from the console, and ending the call from their side.

"Master Satele?" Garza said.

Satele nodded.

Garza continued, "Agent Galen, secure the line. Everyone else, out of the room." After a moment, she said, "We're clear. Did he give her those scars?"

"Yes," Satele said. "I don't know the exact details, and the four of them won't tell us."

"Four?" Var Suthra said.

"Master Kriranda," Satele said. "The Cathar mentioned her."

"Sergeant Jorgan," Garza told her. "Master Satele, please tell me what happened to my lieutenant."

Satele took a deep breath and let it go. "We encourage the Padawans to go through the Archives in their free time, to discover lost knowledge. Mau'te found a ritual that was supposed to transfer Force sensitivity from one person to another. Some of it, anyway."

"There's a ritual that can do that?" Galen asked.

Satele shook her head. "No. It doesn't work. I think Mau'te would have known that if he'd looked closely enough, but he saw a way to help his cousin. That's all he cared about. He contacted her, and she spent every credit she had on a ticket to Tython. She was fourteen."

Var Suthra said, "It sounds like she trusted him."

"She loved him," Satele said. "He was her favorite." She sighed. "Her parents were a bit upset. She claimed she was just there for a visit, and her parents believed her. We promised to send her back on the next shuttle. Until then, she wanted to spend time with her cousins. She left with Mau'te that afternoon, to look at some ruins they told us." Satele paused, remembering her last image of Cyr'rnin before the scars. "I think Agenord sensed something. That's always been one of his strengths. He and Kriranda found the ritual in Mau'te's room and went after them. They didn't tell anyone, to save Mau'te from the Council, but they were too late. The ritual woke the Dark Side in Mau'te, and he was hurting Cyr'rnin. Kriranda called for help, and Agenord..." She paused again. "Agenord tried to kill his brother. When we got there, they were unleashing power I have never seen from Padawans."

"How old were they?" Var Suthra asked.

"Sixteen," Satele replied. "It took six Masters to pull them apart. I still have the scars from it."

"Agenord's scar?" he asked.

Satele nodded. "Courtesy of his brother. Mau'te has one of his own." She took another breath. "We expelled Mau'te, but that wasn't enough for Agenord. He convinced their family to disown Mau'te completely. And they still wanted to kill each other. Agenord was still a Jedi. Mau'te's only chance to survive a fight with him was joining the Sith."

Garza said, "Why do they have attachments this strong?"

"Their power didn't manifest until they were nine," Satele replied. "We don't know why."

"Why let them join the Order?" Galen asked.

"Because," Satele said with a painful laugh, "Mau'te and Agenord are the strongest Force sensitives since Revan. They're too dangerous not to train."

"Which one is stronger?" Var Suthra asked.

Satele said, "Twins, even fraternal twins, usually have the same strength in the Force. It's thought they exchange power in the womb and reach parity. It's true with Agenord and Mau'te. They tied in everything."

"Can we do anything about this Mau'te?" Garza asked. "Do we even know where he is?"

"Dromund Kaas," Galen said. "The Council asked SIS to keep track of him, but didn't tell us why. Or who he was."

Satele said, "In answer to your question, General Garza, we can't do anything severe. Power like that exists for a reason. Until we know the reason, we could be killing ourselves. But, we're not ignoring it either. We have something in place, and I've been told it's looking promising."

"That doesn't reassure me," Garza said.

"I understand," Satele replied. "But it's not a situation that lends itself to absolutes."

Var Suthra said, "That doesn't change the fact that the Empire has him as an asset."

"They don't know," Satele said. "The Empire would frown upon that kind of power in an alien. He won't reveal himself to them until he's ready."

"That thing you have in place," Garza asked. "Do you trust it?"

Master Satele smiled. "Yes, I do. Quite a bit."

"Good enough for now," Garza said. "We've got more immediate issues." She looked away. "Message from the lieutenant. The droid sliced the data. They're on their way to the Works. I have to admit, that was damn fast."

* * *

"Sounds like a plan, General," Cyr'rnin said to her holocomm.

They stood at the elevator to the Works, waiting for the support team.

Garza replied, "Kardan could help us convince everyone to surrender peaceably. Make him see that, otherwise we're only going to kill them all. Garza out."

"They're here," Agenord said.

"Lieutenant Onoka?" one asked. Cyr'rnin nodded. "Sergeant Mathin. Demolitions, ma'am." He indicated two other soldiers.

"Lieutenant Odan, ma'am," another said. "Sentinel team three. Do we really have Sith on Coruscant?"

"We do," Agenord said.

A female trooper stepped forward and saluted. "Sergeant Krasha, ma'am. Snipers." She looked at Jorgan. "Are those Deadeye colors on your rifle?"

"Used to be," Jorgan replied.

"It'll be an honor, Sergeant," Krasha said.

Agenord said, "Sentinel team and demolitions, you report to Lieutenant Onoka. Snipers, you report to Sergeant Jorgan. They report to me. We will be blowing a communications array then infiltrating the Jedi Temple. We do not know how many Imperials are in the Temple, and we do not have the time to find out. We have two and a half hours to get this done, or thousands of people are going to die. Let's make this happen."

They split between the two elevators and headed down. A repair team stared at them as they exited.

"Are you here for the droids?" their foreman asked.

"Not exactly," Agenord said. "But I'm afraid you're going to lose your droids."

"Yeah," he said. "I can see that."

With three Jedi, fourteen troopers, and Qyzen, they cut a path through the droids in under five minutes. When they were near the array, Cyr'rnin stopped the team.

"Demolitions team, that array is your target," she said. "But General Garza wants our man alive. Wait here. I'm going to try to talk him down. As for the Imperials, we don't have time for prisoners of war. Snipers, if things go bad, the Imps are yours."

The snipers nodded and got into position. Cyr'rnin and Jorgan moved in slowly, weapons out. The four Imperial soldiers spotted them and drew their weapons, but Kardan held up a hand to stop them.

Kardan said, "Still alive, huh? You really should've gotten out of this while you were ahead, soldier. Now, you're a risk to Tavus and the rest of my people."

"If you cared about Tavus and the others, you wouldn't have let them defect," Cyr'rnin said.

"I've made my choice," Kardan said. "Those soldiers are like my children. And I abandoned them. I resigned and left them to fight alone, just to make a point. They need my help now more than ever. I'm not going to abandon them. Not this time."

Cyr'rnin replied, "If you want to help your people, you'll help me bring them in alive."

"So Garza can have all their heads and be done with it? I don't think so. I know you're trying to get into my head, soldier, but it's not going to work."

"Think what you want, Kardan," she said. "Doesn't make my point any less true."

"All I know is that you're really trying my patience, soldier. I'm trying to keep my people alive, and it's your mission to kill them. That's all there is to this."

"I served with your people, sir," Cyr'rnin told him. "I don't want to kill them."

"Well, you've certainly taken your time trying to kill me," Kardan said. "You've already compromised the relay. Even if we take you out, it's only a matter of time until Garza has this place slagged for a klick in every direction. By now, Garza will know exactly where all of the defector bases are. They'll be tethered banthas, cut off from each other."

"Excuse me, sir," one of the Imperials said. "But shouldn't we be-"

"The Imperials might offer help, but it won't be much," Kardan said, ignoring the Imp.

"Tavus and the others will follow your lead," Cyr'rnin said. "If you come in peacefully, they will, too."

"Damn," Kardan said. "I can't believe it's come to this."

"Sir?" the Imperial asked.

"All right, soldier," Kardan said. "I'll go along with this. But if you harm a single one of my people, you will be dead within the day. Understood?"

Cyr'rnin nodded, "You have my word on it, sir."

"Let's get on with this, soldier," he said. "What is your name, anyway?"

"Lieutenant Cyr'rnin Onoka, sir."

"You're a good soldier, Onoka."

"Sir," the Imperial said. "I can't allow you to go into enemy custody alive."

"Are you still here?" Kardan said. "The op's over, people. Finished. Mission failed. So get out of here, while you've still got the legs to carry you."

The Imperial soldier raised his rifle. "You leave me no choice, sir. Ready your weapons, men!"

Three sniper shots hit the Imperials, dropping them in an instant. Cyr'rnin killed the fourth.

"What the fuck?" Kardan said.

Cyr'rnin said, "I told you, sir, we wanted you alive." She turned around. "Demolitions team, move in."

"All this for me?" Kardan said as the assault team appeared.

"No," Agenord told him. "Do you know how many Imperials are in the Temple?"

"The _Jedi_ Temple?" Kardan asked.

"Any idea how many Imperials on Coruscant?" Agenord asked.

Kardan shook his head. "They didn't tell me that."

"Demolitions team," Cyr'rnin said. "You won't be needed for the Temple. Escort Mister Kardan back to General Garza."

"Is this about that Tarnis guy, the Sith Lord?" Kardan asked.

"Yes," Agenord said.

"Good," Kardan said. "That guy's an asshole."

* * *

Cyr'rnin pointed toward opening of a maintenance tunnel. A group of rogue droids guarded the area.

"That tunnel is our best bet," Cyr'rnin said.

Agenord nodded. "Move in slowly. This is where it gets dangerous."

The group moved in, and Agenord's lightsaber flashed suddenly, deflecting a sniper shot.

"Where did that come from?" he asked.

"There," one of the Sentinel soldiers replied.

Agenord said, "Snipers, can you find the target?" He deflected another shot.

Jorgan said, "I think I've got him."

Before Jorgan could fire, two blaster bolts came from behind a far corner and hit the Imperial sniper.

"That was unexpected," Kira said.

Agenord closed his eyes and searched for the shooter. He laughed when he found him. "I can sense you, Xal!"

"That's cheating, Agenord!" a voice called out.

Xaldiba and Corso walked into view.

"Miss Cyr'rnin, ma'am," Corso said once they got close.

"Mister Riggs," she replied.

"Did I say your name right, ma'am?"

"Yes, you did."

He smiled. "Been practicing, ma'am."

"Hey, Agenord, Cyr'rnin. Oh, hi, Yvie," Xal said. "Hello, pretty sniper lady."

Agenord smacked him on the back of the head.

"What?" Xal said. "She's got to have a life, am I right?"

"Yeah," Krasha said. "I've got a life."

"What did I tell you?" Xal said.

"We could use your help, Xal," Agenord said. "We've got Imperials in the Temple. We don't know how many. I need people I can trust."

Xal said, "I just got a line on my ship..."

"No one is going into the sky for the next two hours," Agenord said.

"Captain," Corso said. "It's a chance to help Miss Cyr'rnin."

"Corso..."

"But, Captain, it's a chance to help Miss Cyr'rnin."

"I'm really not the hero type," Xal said.

Agenord pointed at the Imperial sniper.

"That was luck," Xal said. "Is what that was. Just luck."

"Lieutenant?" Krasha said. "Was that luck?"

Cyr'rnin shook her head.

Krasha walked up to Xal. "Captain...?"

"Xaldiba Onoka, ma'am, at your pleasure. Quite a bit of it," he said with a smile.

She leaned forward, whispered in his ear for a while, and stepped back.

Xal thought for a moment and said, "My baby sister needs help, I gotta help. That's what I'm saying."

Jorgan said, "I guess she does have a life."

"All right," Agenord said. "Let's clear these droids."

Xal took out four of the bipedal droids with one shot each while the others focused on the heavier units. Krasha gave him a look.

"What?" he said. "I'm having a good day."

Cyr'rnin said, "Focus, Xal, or I'll tell her about your medals."

Corso said, "Medals, Captain?"

"Droids," Xal said. "We've got more droids." He shot three more.

Once the droids were down, Agenord said, "How long is this tunnel?"

"Long enough to need speeders," Cyr'rnin said. "We just need to grab some from the Imps."

Teeseven whistled, rolled to the entrance, and accessed a console. A section of wall screeched open, and a rail car slid out into the center of the tunnel.

"Is he one of the Works droids?" one of the Sentinel team asked.

Agenord said, "He was a maintenance droid at the Temple on the day of the attack. He's going to do a lot once we're inside. Let's pile in. It's a tight fit, but it's all we've got."

Fifteen minutes later, the end of the tunnel came into view. Agenord stopped the car a couple of minutes later, when the track became too damaged to use.

"Can you see anything?" Agenord asked Jorgan.

The sergeant sighted down his scope and said, "Six strong heat signatures, four weak, probably droids. A lot less than I expected."

"The others are guarding the elevator," Agenord replied.

Jorgan switched from thermal vision to low-light. "I think the tunnel is set with charges," he told them.

"Yvie," Agenord said.

Yvie waved her hand.

After a wait, Lieutenant Odan said, "Nothing happened."

"It'll happen," Yvie told him.

"Sergeant," Agenord said. "You're up."

Jorgan and the snipers got into position, identified their targets, and, after a countdown, fired simultaneously. The walls near the opening the tunnel sparked as every fuse on the charges burned out at the same time. The snipers fire two more times, clearing the opening of the tunnel. Once they were past the tunnel, Teeseven guided them to the maintenance shaft. He inserted a rotating arm into a socket and spun the door open.

"Teeseven," Aganord said, "Give us a map of the Entrance Hall. We will come out in the corridor behind this balcony. Teeseven has the access codes to the building. He will disable any security they might have reactivated, and he'll knock out the lights, so get your low-light goggles."

"Captain Onoka," a Miraluka trooper said, "You can have mine."

Agenord continued, "The snipers will stay on the balcony, and the rest of us will attack the Archives. You will hold the door against the Imperials while Yvie, Qyzen and I clear this area out. Yvie and Qyzen will remain behind, and we will attack the Council Chamber."

Lieutenant Odan said, "Do we have any tactical information on the Temple?"

Agenord said, "Cyr'rnin, you're up."

She took them through the basic structure, the amount of damage to the building, different rooms the Imperials might be using, and optimal defensive locations. With the final strategy in place, they climbed the maintenance shaft, Agenord first, then Teeseven and the rest. The droid plugged his scomp into access and blinked a control light twice to confirm the connection. Agenord scanned the balcony with the Force and indicated eight enemies. Cyr'rnin, Jorgan, and the Sentinel team drew their combat knives. Cyr'rnin's vibroknife was silver with a bright blue blade. The other knives were more subdued. Agenord, Yvie and the special forces soldiers moved into position near a large arch. They set their low-light goggles to thermal, and Agenord waved to Teeseven. The droid turned off all the lights in the Temple, and the team moved in.

Two Sith were among the enemy troops on the balcony and sensed the attack. They called out to their men and ignited their sabers. Agenord and Yvie jumped over the regular troops and attacked the Sith. Agenord's opponent died quickly, and Yvie's soon after. The Imperial soldiers turned to fire at the orange and blue blades, and Havoc squad and the Sentinel team knifed them from behind. One Imperial didn't die fast enough and fired off a spray from his blaster, alerting the other Imperials.

Jorgan called to the sniper team. Barely a tenth of the balcony was accessible, but he spread them evenly, and gave them their assignments.

The rest of the team ran down a stairway toward the Archives. The Jedi leapt over large holes in the stairs and reached the ground first. They ran at a group of six Imperial soldiers. Agenord killed three on his own, and Yvie and Kira killed the others. They turned toward the center of the Entrance Hall and blocked blaster fire until the rest of the team reached them. They killed a second team on the way to the Archives. At the entrance, Agenord and Yvie pulled a broken section of a column in front of the team as a barricade.

"This shouldn't take-" Agenord began, and the lights came on. "Teeseven!" The droid rushed to the nearest console and shut off the lights. "Good luck. And, Xal, try to be extra lucky."

Xaldiba holstered one pistol and attached a scope to the other. He held the pistol like a sport shooter, and scanned the Entrance Hall for targets.

"That's where I've seen you before," one of the Sentinels said to him. "My sister was in a pistol competition six years ago. Different division than yours. I remember you got a lot of attention."

"Did he win?" Odan asked.

Xal fired three times, but only two targets dropped. "Shit!" he said. "By three points."

"No shit?" Odan said. "That must have been a hell of a final."

"It was indeed," Xal said and dropped the third target.

"Just droids, so far," Odan said.

"They know why we're here," Cyr'rnin said.

Xal said, "The sniper support will get us across the Entrance Hall."

"It will," Odan said. "And after that-" He looked at his team. "For the Republic," he told them.

"For the Republic," they echoed.

* * *

Agenord killed three Sith Lords before Yvie could get to them then rushed another group.

 _What the fuck, Agenord?_ she thought.

She saw two more emerge from an isle and ran at them. She killed the first quickly then got into a decent exchange with the second before finishing him.

"Don't play with them," Agenord said.

Qyzen finished off a group of droids and ran to her side as three more attacked. They killed one, but the other two were more skilled. The best Yvie and Qyzen could do was hold them off until Agenord killed two others and joined them.

With the last two down, Yvie looked at the body count and thought, _It figures._

"Do you sense any more?" Agenord asked while scanning the room with the Force.

She reached out with her mind. "The deaths are clouding the room."

Agenord nodded. He'd sensed the same thing. "I can't wait, Yvie."

"We'll handle it," she told him.

"Good luck," he said and left.

She wrinkled her nose at the bodies and thought, _Where do I plug in the Noetikons? Oh, that must be it._

* * *

"Cyr'rnin," Agenord said when he returned to the team. "Get two of the snipers down here."

She signaled to Sergeant Jorgan.

"Their troops haven't attacked," Agenord continued. "I don't think they're anti-Force sensitive. Kira and I will have less to worry about. Our goal is to get Teeseven through their troops so he can shut down the generator."

Jorgan and Krasha reached them.

"Sentinel team," Agenord said, "Keep the Sith distracted. Kira and I will be throwing a lot of debris at them. Mix in some flash-bang grenades. They're less likely to sense those as an attack. Everyone else, focus on the troops. When we have an opening, Kira and I will move in. Take control of the barricade from this side and take them down. That will get us to this long hallway. There is no easy way through it. Kira and I will defend. You will push them back. Do not stop moving. On the other side of the hallway, we need to punch a hole so Teeseven and I can get to the Council Chamber. That is the only thing that matters."

They moved in slowly, and the attack began. The Imperials had trusted their barricade and their numbers. They hadn't anticipated a Sentinel team, and had held back most of their Sith Lords. The combination of the Jedi attacks and the anti-Force sensitive tactics broke their focus. They destroyed the first group of defenders and moved to the hallway. As expected, the Imperials had held back their best. The Battle of the Hallway took over twenty minutes, with Agenord and Kira defending their team the entire way. By the end, Agenord's saber was moving too fast for anyone to follow, as if a solid wall of flame were advancing on the enemy. When he and Kira reached the end of the hallway, they pushed a large group of soldiers away from them in a wave. Agenord rushed in with Teeseven close behind. Kira remained behind, defending the team and attacking anyone close to her. Agenord destroyed a droid, threw it at a group of soldiers, and killed two Sith Lords before reaching the entrance to the Council Chamber. A smallish Sith Lord blocked his way, but one doesn't judge a Force sensitive by his size.

Agenord attacked with all he had, pushing the small Sith Lord back down the short hallway. He was disappointed he couldn't draw out the fight. This was the best Sith he'd fought yet. He could have learned a lot from his opponent, but he didn't have the time. He finally pushed the Sith into the Chamber and killed him.

"I'm departing Coruscant now, Father," Tarnis said to a holographic cabal of Sith. "The Planet Prison deploys in minutes. The Republic will have no choice but to surrender."

"You return to me as a hero of the Empire, my son," one of the cabal said. "Our victory-"

"What's this, Tarnis?" a different Sith said. "A loose end?"

Tarnis turned around. "Master Agenord. Have you come to die?"

"I don't die easily," Agenord replied.

"Who is this boy?" the first Sith said.

"Agenord Onoka," Tarnis said. "He was supposed to be special, but he spent the last two months chasing a shadow."

"Onoka," one of the other Sith said. "How do I know that name?"

"The apprentice of Darth Baras," the second said.

"Oh, yes," said the third. "Another arrogant Twi'lek."

"Challenge him sometime," Agenord said. "Tell me how it goes."

The first Sith said, "Channel your rage, my son. Don't let this Jedi steal your moment of triumph."

"I am of your blood, Father," Tarnis said, igniting his lightsaber. "I cannot fail."

Tarnis was good. Agenord had to admit it. Better, even, than the last Sith. But Tarnis wasn't good enough. At the end, Agenord twisted Tarnis' saber out of the way, severed his arm, and stabbed him through the heart. Tarnis gasped once and dropped at his father's feet.

"You... Jedi... _filth_... you killed my _SON_!"

"He'll die for this, Master," the fourth Sith said.

"You've no idea what you've unleashed, Jedi," the first Sith said. "There's no place in the galaxy to hide from my wrath."

"I won't be hiding," Agenord replied.

"I will inflict unimaginable suffering on your people. Billions will die because of you. My son's death will be avenged on the entire Republic- and _you_ will bow down before I let you die."

"You might be wrong about that," Agenord told him.

The Sith said, "My hatred makes me stronger than you can possibly know."

"Yeah," Agenord said.

The Sith continued, "Tell your pathetic Masters that Darth Angral has returned. This time, there will be no mercy."

The transmission ended.

"Such a charmer," Kira said from the doorway. "I miss him already."

"The Planet Prison-?" Agenord began.

"Is officially scrap metal," Kira said. "Thanks to Teeseven. Looks like we saved Coruscant."

"And them?" Agenord asked, nodding toward the other room.

"Surrendered," Kira said. "When they sensed their master's death. The soldiers followed."

"How many did we lose?"

"Two," she said. "Of the Sentinel team."

"Oh."

"Considering what we did-"

"I know," he said. "I know." He looked over at Teeseven. "Record this. Kira." He put a hand on her shoulder. "I couldn't have done it without you."

Her jaw dropped. "You got that, right?" she said to the droid.

Teeseven nodded his upper disk.

"Let's go," Agenord said. "I need to check on Yvie."

When they appeared, Odan asked, "Did we win, sir?"

"We did," Agenord said. "With twelve minutes to spare. And, I'm sorry."

"We remember, sir. We don't apologize."

Agenord nodded. "Cyr'rnin, Xal, Tarnis was the one looking for Kixi. She's safe now."

"Good to know, sir," Jorgan said.

"Has she been a problem?" Agenord asked.

"She really hasn't," Cyr'rnin said. "She understood."

"It was just one more thing, sir," Jorgan said. "But-" He looked around. "I guess she earned it."

Agenord turned toward the exit just as Yvie and Qyzen walked in.

"Did you stop it?" Yvie asked.

"We did," Agenord said. "Any problems?"

"I learned the ritual, then three more Sith arrived, but we killed them."

"Good," he said. "I need to ask the Noetikons something."

"The Sith damaged them," Yvie said. "They need to be repaired."

"Master Agenord," Cyr'rnin said. "I contacted General Garza. They have control of the Works, but the Imperials damaged the elevator. It'll take a little while to cut their way in."

"That's okay," Agenord said, sitting down. "We earned a rest."

* * *

"No one saw this coming, Master Satele," General Var Suthra said. "Not even the Jedi Council."

Agenord, Cyr'rnin, Kira, Jorgan, and Teeseven entered the War Room. Generals Garza and Var Suthra, and Agent Galen were in a holoconference with Master Satele.

"We sensed it for weeks, General," Master Satele said. "If you'd told us of your secret project, we might have averted this disaster."

"Master Kiwiiks had a vague idea of impending danger," Garza said. "She couldn't identify Tarnis or the Temple specifically."

"It's why the Imperials gave weapons to the gangs," Agenord said. "Spreading out the threat made Master Kiwiiks vision less clear."

"A clever tactic," Garza said. "I'll make note of it, Master Jedi. Lieutenant, your work was exemplary. And it seems Master Agenord was right. Lieutenant Odan told me your tactical knowledge was vital to the success of the mission."

"Just doing my job, ma'am," Cyr'rnin said.

"Just doing your job?" Garza said. "You were outnumbered four to one and attacking a highly defensible position, and you only lost two soldiers. That's impressive by any standards."

"If you say so, ma'am," Cyr'rnin said.

"We all say so, Cyr'rnin," Satele added.

"Thank you, ma'am," Cyr'rnin said, then paused. "Is that a Norsam J-273 beam collimator?"

Agenord turned away to hide a smile.

"Uh, yes," Satele said.

"I thought those went out of style," Cyr'rnin continued.

"They did," Satele said. "I modified it. It gives me more blade control."

"Oh, yeah," Cyr'rnin said. "That makes sense." She looked at Agenord then said. "Is it blue?"

"It is blue," Satele replied.

Cyr'rnin looked at Agenord again. "Blue is traditional." She said it like a victory.

"If you're done, Lieutenant," Garza said.

"Yes, ma'am. How is Mister Kardan?"

"We're currently negotiating the extent of his contribution," she replied. "But his help will give us quite and edge against Tavus and the others."

Kira said, "Those Planet Prison satellites are still up there, you know."

"And they will serve the defense of Coruscant," Var Suthra said. "Once we can build the infrastructure."

"And fully reprogram them," Agent Galen added.

"Who is this Darth Angral?" Agenord asked.

"And why is he shouting at us on the comm channels?" Kira said.

Master Satele replied, "Darth Angral personally led the forces that sacked Coruscant in the last war."

"He was furious when the Emperor signed the treaty," Var Suthra said. "Looks like he's back to finish what he started. The Empire has formally disavowed Darth Angral's actions, saying he's gone rogue. It's a lie, but the Senate refuses to authorize a military response."

"For good reason," Master Satele said. "Neither the Republic nor the Jedi are prepared for another war. We would lose. Billions would die." She turned to Agenord. "Did you discover what the Sith were searching for?"

Agenord shook his head. "The Sith we captured were told to collect any and all artifacts and to send them off-world. They weren't told which artifact, specifically, to look for. I planned to ask the Noetikons, but Yvie said they were damaged."

"Yes," Master Satele said. "We're having them shipped to Tython. Our engineers will reconstruct them."

Var Suthra said, "Master Agenord, we want you to lead the search for Darth Angral. His obsession with you might cause him to make mistakes. SIS is tracing Tarnis' transmission."

"We'll find him for you," Galen said.

Kira said, "I'm going, too. Master Kiwiiks left me here to help."

"Agreed," Master Satele said. "Take Kira, Master Agenord. Train and protect her like she's your own Padawan. She has great potential, but she needs guidance to unlock it."

Agenord nodded. "That's a good way of saying it."

Master Satele stifled a laugh.

Kira said, "You better be a good teacher after that."

Master Satele said, "I must inform the Council of these developments. Travel safely-"

"I have a request," Agenord said. "We found six barrels of lightsaber crystals at the Temple. The crystals can improve the efficiency of a blaster. I'd like to shape one for Cyr'rnin's rifle."

Cyr'rnin gasped.

Master Satele looked at Cyr'rnin, and her face softened to an almost motherly expression. "She has certainly earned it. May the Force be with you all."

The transmission ended.

"Master Agenord," Var Suthra said. "You've been assigned a starship. Transfer what you need to it, and prep it for takeoff. You'll leave as soon as SIS can give us a target."

"Understood, General. Kira, Teeseven." They departed.

"Lieutenant," Garza said. "You've earned some time off. You're dismissed. Sergeant Jorgan, we'd like to speak with you privately." She waited for Cyr'rnin to leave. "Sergeant, how did she do?"

"Better than I expected, ma'am," Jorgan said. "She focused on the objectives, maintained control, got the job done. I wasn't sure about her, but I think she's a good choice."

"Very good, Sergeant," Garza said. "Now tell us about Master Agenord."

Jorgan sighed. "I didn't think anyone could live up to the Lieutenant's description of him, but he got damn close. I haven't worked with a lot of Jedi, but he's the strongest I've ever seen. He's also one of the most natural leaders I've ever met. If he were a soldier, he'd have 'General' written all over him. He also doesn't have the... reluctance a lot of Jedi do. When the job calls for something difficult, he does it."

Var Suthra said, "It sounds like you respect him."

"I don't know much about Jedi or the Force," Jorgan replied. "But I know a good soldier when I see one."

"Thank you, Sergeant," Garza said. "You've earned the same time off. Dismissed."

After Jorgan was gone, Var Suthra said to Galen, "What do we know about this Mau'te?"

"He's on Dromund Kaas," Galen said. "He trains constantly."

"Like he's preparing for something," Garza said.

"He's considered strong," Galen continued. "Very strong. Our people there tell us he's too strong to take out. No one we sent would stand a chance."

"Any hint of this 'purpose'?" she asked.

Galen said, "The Council is not exactly forthcoming."

"Meaning, they don't know," Var Suthra said.

"Ask SIS to keep us informed, Agent Galen," Garza said. "Otherwise, we have work to do."


	24. The Agent and The Assassin

"Two months here, and your place is still emptier than my bank account," Kaliyo said, shaking her head at the agent's apartment.

"I don't like distractions," the agent replied.

"Speaking of, are we doing anything tonight?" Kaliyo asked.

"Not tonight," the agent replied. "Our Sith friend is here."

"Scary Sith bitch is coming over?" Kaliyo said.

The agent shook her head. "She's already here, hiding in the shadows."

Kaliyo coughed. "Oh. Don't tell her I said that." She looked around but saw nothing. "I'm gonna go." She left quickly.

The agent sighed. "You do have an effect on her."

"Nice to know," the assassin said, stepping into the light. "Have you looked at the mask?"

"I have, but before that," the agent said. "I need you to check me over. Jadus did something to me. Knocked me out, because I wouldn't kneel to him."

The assassin held the agent's head and closed her eyes. "Oh, yes," she said after a moment. "Brute force attack, not an intrusion." She released the agent. "You might have a headache for a day or two, but you'll be fine."

"Do you think I should have knelt? I wasn't sure."

"Jadus has always valued obedience over independence," the assassin replied. "Now, what about my mask?"

"It looks like a code breaker," the agent said, retrieving the mask from a hidden panel. "I could build an interface, but I need the full code. It will take weeks reading all of it."

"I know," the assassin said. "I wish I could have gotten Grathan's data. He had about a third of it done."

"Did you ever figure out why Mau'te was there?" the agent asked.

"There are no coincidences in the Force," the assassin said. "It wanted me to have this mask. And you were right. I need to work on my mundane skills. I missed an alarm and had to deal with security. If Mau'te hadn't been there, I would have faced Grathan, and I wouldn't have survived."

"How did Mau'te survive?"

"He killed Grathan," the assassin replied.

"Of course he did."

The assassin waited for the agent's irritation to pass. "I want to show you something." She activated the agent's holoprojector. It opened to a paused recording of the Grand Melee. "Were you there?" the assassin asked.

"Of course not," the agent said. "I watched it on holo. He did very well."

"I know," the assassin said. "I watched it too." She loaded a recording into the projector. "This is when Mau'te brought Vette to the hospital." She paused the playback when Mau'te grabbed the doctor's throat. "That is when the doctor called Vette a slave."

The agent stared at the image and said, "Yes. All right. That's more like the old him. It's still not enough. Not for me, anyway."

"I understand," the assassin said.

"No, you don't," the agent snapped. "I will always be grateful to you and Agenord, but you got the easy part. You weren't there for the recovery. You didn't hear her wake up screaming every night for weeks. You weren't there the first time she saw the scars. Or the first time she tried to kill herself. Or the second. You didn't see the walking corpse she became."

The assassin switched off the holoprojector. "You're right," she said. "But I'm not trying to forgive his crimes, and I don't have the luxury of indulging my outrage. The Force made him a Champion for a reason. If Vette can save him, he can save the galaxy."

The agent looked at the inactive holoprojector, remembering Mau'te attacking the doctor and Vette standing next to them in pain. "Will you really let me get her out, if it comes to that?"

"Of course," the assassin said. "I'm not _that_ much of a bitch."

"That's not what you are," the agent said with a sigh. "My handler asked for a meeting. Unscheduled meetings are never good."

"We're not in it for the fun," the assassin said.

"True," the agent replied. "He thinks you and I are meeting too much."

"He might be right," the assassin said. "But it won't matter soon. We're both being prepped for field work."

"Any messages?"

"Not this time," the assassin replied. "I want to hear what he says first."

After the assassin left, the agent switched on the holoprojector, watched the recording of the Grand Melee, and laughed, again, at the Gamorrean.

* * *

"Consider this an entirely informal conversation," Watcher Two said.

"Of course," the agent replied.

They sat across a table from each other in a sound isolated room, politely sipping a morning stim-tea. Kaliyo was at the gun range, working off a hangover.

The Watcher began, "Why have you been meeting with the apprentice of Lord Zash? We have received no requests for an agent from Lord Zash, and the apprentice appears to be studying ancient Sith languages. Not really your field."

The agent shrugged and sipped her tea. "The apprentice wants a political union with Lord Mau'te, the apprentice of Darth Baras. She sees great potential in Lord Mau'te, and believes a political union between the two of them could benefit Twi'lek in the Empire." She paused for another sip. "She asked me to train Lord Mau'te's companion. Darth Baras is not fond of Imperial Intelligence."

Watcher Two nodded but did not interrupt.

The agent continued, "Vette, Lord Mau'te's companion, is to provide those skills. Zash's apprentice-"

"Do you happen to know her name?" the Watcher asked. "We've had a devil of a time finding it."

The agent shrugged again. "She was given a name by the slavers, but she isn't fond of it."

"Whatever for?"

"Roughly translated," the agent said, "It means, 'skinny bitch'."

The Watcher held in a laugh. "Oh. You were saying."

"She asked me to train Vette to improve Lord Mau'te's chances of survival. We're all Twi'lek. If they gain power, we all benefit."

"What do you think of this companion?"

"Annoying at times," the agent replied. "But far too good for a Sith Lord."

Watcher Two nodded and sipped her tea. "Would she make a good agent?"

"She's not... determined... enough."

"Oh, yes," the Watcher said. "And, thank you. I was hoping the answer was something simple. Asking such questions of an alien can be a... delicate... task in the Empire. Fortunately, this conversation never happened. I will see you in the control room."

* * *

"There she is!" Lord Kirnan said, looking up from the considerable mess on the floor of Darth Skotia's office. "It's Lord Zash's apprentice. Surely she knows."

"She wouldn't tell us if she did," Lord Calaverous replied without looking up from his work.

"It doesn't hurt to ask, does it?" Kirnon said. "Everyone knows Lord Zash was at the party when Skotia was killed, and yet everyone knows she killed him. She's somehow devised a way of being in two places at once."

Calaverous shrugged in defeat and continued gathering evidence.

"It's not as impressive as that," the assassin said. "She had me kill him."

"This is a serious investigation," Kirnon told her.

"She looks fairly dangerous," Calaverous said, looking her up and down. "Perhaps we _should_ bring her in. Tie her down, work her over a bit." He smiled at her. "I know all sorts of techniques."

"But a Dark Lord of the Sith!" Kirnon said. "She's only an apprentice, Calaverous." He turned to the assassin. "You must tell me-how did Zash kill Darth Skotia?"

"You know, I'm not exactly sure," the assassin said. "I asked Lord Zash if she wanted to get some lunch. She told me she couldn't; she had to kill Skotia, and she'd eat at the party later. So I got lunch at that Rattataki place."

"I love that place," Calaverous said.

"Yes!" the assassin said. "I had no idea Rattataki had such wonderful cuisine. Anyway, I met Lord Zash at the party. She told me she'd killed Skotia, but she left something in his office. Could I get it for her? Well, I thought, I am her apprentice, so I suppose I should. Then I came over here and found the two of you."

"But she didn't tell you how she did it?" Kirnon asked.

"Sorry, no," the assassin replied.

"Fine, then. Fine," Kirnon said. "But I'm warning you, Calaverous- Lord Zash is becoming too powerful, too quickly. Since when has anyone in the history of the Sith committed a murder so brazenly, yet make it appear that she was somewhere else the entire time?"

The assassin replied, "Lord Ptoma, one hundred and eighty-three years ago."

"How did he do it?" Calaverous asked.

"They never found out," she said. "They also never found out how wound up in the river. Price of being too clever, I guess."

"Well, we should all be killing our rivals so efficiently as Lord Zash. Isn't that right, apprentice?" Calaverous said.

"We could all learn _something_ from Zash," the assassin replied.

"From that insignificant little apprentice?" Kirnon said. "No, I don't think so."

"I wouldn't put anything past her," Calaverous said. "I still say I should work her over. Thoroughly."

"Fine," Kirnon said. "What did Zash lose?"

"You know, I don't see it anywhere," the assassin said. "She must have lost it somewhere else. I should look for it. Are we done?"

"We're done," Kirnon said.

"With that part, anyway," Calaverous added. "I am curious about one thing. Why is a master of assassins interested in the Sphere of Ancient Knowledge?"

"Perhaps she wants to kill something very old," the assassin replied.

"Fine, then. I'll just have to find out some other way," Kirnon said as they walked out.

"More prattle," Khem said. "It hurts the ears."

"You should have taken him up on his offer," Zash said, emerging from a shadow. "You don't indulge your baser drives nearly enough."

"I'm not interested in emotional commitments just now," the assassin said.

"I just met with the Dark Council, and I have good news," Zash said. "Our favor for Darth Charnus has paid off. I went in to a reprimand- but I emerged a Darth."

"And Darth Thanaton?" the assassin asked.

"I'm sure he'll make a nuisance of himself eventually," Zash said. "What's important is that we are finally free to act. Remember the map you found on Korriban that pointed us to the power of Tulak Hord? The first piece of that artifact, that power, is here on Dromund Kaas. This piece is in the deepest chamber of the Dark Temple. Skotia always hoarded the key to the chamber like a Hutt hoards his credits."

"Why didn't he want anyone to enter the chamber?" the assassin asked.

Zash replied, "He had this foolish idea some powers are best left undisturbed- hardly the Sith way. Now I have Skotia's title, his chambers, his research and his key. He always said I would enter the Dark Temple over his rusting corpse. However, I won't be the one to go into the Dark Temple- you will."

You're afraid of it, the assassin thought. "Of course, master."

"There's a reason I picked my apprentice from the lower classes-a reason you, and not that blue-blood Ffon, had to come here," Zash said. "Before I went to Korriban to choose an apprentice, a furious apparition awakened in the Dark Temple, implacable in its anger, murdering all who trespassed on the innermost chamber. But I had a dream. An apprentice of low origin humbled herself before the apparition, pacifying it. That's why you and your peers were chosen."

Bullshit, the assassin thought. A true vision would have been vague about my origin. You were afraid the Council would destroy you for wasting a blue-blood. "I've always suspected I was special."

"You've been a far more capable apprentice than I even hoped- but for this task, you must put aside your pride," Zash said. "You must go into the temple and face the apparition, and when you do, I believe that your humility will be the key."

You're guessing, but it's a reasonable guess based on prior attempts.

Zash continued, "Still, I want you to know- I'm not certain you're the one from my dream. I fear I may be sending you to your death."

Genuine concern? Of course not. Attempt to inspire loyalty? Unlikely. No, she _did_ have a vision, but something about it confused her.

"Don't worry about me, master," the assassin said.

"You're right," Zash said. "You retrieved the holocron on Korriban when no one else could- if that's not proof of your destiny, I don't know what is."

The holocron must be linked to the vision, the assassin thought. But in a way you don't understand.

"Use this glyph to enter the innermost chamber of the Dark Temple," Zash said, handing her a key of titanium-iridium alloy. "Humble yourself before the apparition, and bring back the piece of the artifact."

Once they were outside the chamber, Khem said, "Her breath stinks of Sith lies."

"I noticed," the assassin said.

"Even the great Tulak Hord did not tangle with spirits," he told her. "Tread lightly, little Sith."

"Always, Khem." You're hiding something, aren't you? Something Zash said sounds familiar to you. There are no coincidences in the Force. I was meant to find you, Khem, but you don't know why yet. It'll be fun finding out.

* * *

"So, who is this guy?" Kaliyo asked, nodding toward the Twi'lek Sith apprentice.

They sat deep in the shadows of a cantina booth and watched the apprentice consider the various women around him.

"Lord Mau'te Onoka," the agent said, with a sharp flick of her lekku. "Our Sith friend asked me to keep track of him."

"Oh, yeah?" Kaliyo said. "I knew a smuggler named Onoka on Hutta. We had some good times. But, really not your type."

"I'll take your word for that," the agent said, flicking her lekku again.

"Are you nervous about something," Kaliyo asked.

"Lekku language," the agent said. "That waiter is trying to ask me out. I am trying to refuse him politely."

Kaliyo looked the waiter up and down. "Not bad. Might be worth a three-way. If you think you can keep up with me."

The agent sighed. "He might be an enemy asset. I can't do anything until I know."

"Too bad. I like the idea of you two at either end of me."

The agent paused at that. "I've often wondered, do you prefer men, women or both?"

"Oh, please," Kaliyo said. "There are more genders than those two. There's this one tentacled race-"

"Thank you. That's _more_ than enough." She continued flicking at the waiter.

"He must really want you," Kaliyo said.

"He says he doesn't see enough free Twi'lek," the agent told her.

"Whatever," Kaliyo said, standing up.

"In the mood for more bounty hunters?" the agent asked.

Kaliyo shook her head. "I'm liking that Sith Lord. Tell scary Sith bitch I'm taking one for the team."

"She might not approve."

"Then don't tell her." She headed in Mau'te's direction.

The agent continued her conversation with the waiter. The exchange was clear and simple, dull, in fact, to anyone who could read the language. The waiter eventually gave up and returned to his work. The agent departed unnoticed, hoping Kaliyo would be safe.

Kaliyo navigated a sea of Imperial officers, all hoping to draw the attention of one of the various Sith Lords. The officers, both male and female, were dressed somewhere between demure and do-me-now. Kaliyo, in her mercenary's attire, couldn't have looked more out of place. She shoved her way through the hungry and desperate, stepped past the slutty and submissive, and slid around the overconfident, finally stopping before Mau'te's seat.

"May I help you?" he asked.

Kaliyo straddled his legs and sat on his lap. "Never had a Sith Lord before. Someone told me you got a reputation."

"Did they?" he said, putting his hands on her waist and considering her value. "Who said this, exactly?"

"She's training that friend of yours," Kaliyo said. "I don't really pay attention. I'm just here for the money and gunfire."

"What's your friend like?" Mau'te asked. "I haven't met her yet."

"Dull. By the book. But a lot of fun in a fight." She inched forward and put her arms around his neck. "Onoka, right? I knew a smuggler named Onoka on Hutta."

"My cousin," Mau'te said.

"Seriously? He never mentioned you."

"I wonder why," Mau'te replied.

"Right," she said and inched forward again, almost close enough to grind him through her clothes. "Now, show me what you got."

He slid one hand under her shirt and up her body until he found her small breasts, rubbed the firm nipple with his thumb. He pinched the nipple and delivered a quick jolt of Force lightning.

Kaliyo gasped silently and whispered, "Fuck yes. You got a room?"

"I can get one," he said.

"Let's do this," she kissed him and pulled him to his feet.

* * *

Some time later, Mau'te carried Kaliyo into the hospital, naked with her coat draped over her. She shuddered uncontrollably and gasped for breath. He lowered her onto the nearest gurney.

The closest nurse saw her and said, "Shit. It's Kaliyo again! How many did she take?"

"Three, I think," Mau'te told him.

"You idiot," the nurse said to her.

"T-t-t-totaly w-worth it," she replied. She huddled under her coat and shivered.

"Thank you, my Lord," the nurse said to Mau'te. "We know who to contact."

"Will she be all right?" Mau'te asked, watching the giddy, shivering Rattataki. He wiped some of the cold sweat from her head. She giggled, kissed his hand, and tried to suck on his fingers.

"I believe so, sir," the nurse said. "She has a remarkable tolerance."

"To-totaly worth it," she said. She whimpered in pain and curled into a ball.

A medical droid arrived and wheeled Kaliyo out of Mau'te's sight. He watched the droid leave, and continued watching the door after the droid was gone.

"We know what we're doing, sir," the nurse said. "We get a lot of Rattataki in here. And a lot of bounty hunters. I've seen... worse. Technically."

Mau'te nodded.

"Is she needed for something, my Lord?"

"No," Mau'te replied. "No, she's not. Thank you." He considered waiting for Kaliyo's contact, but suspected she might not appear if he were there.

* * *

"This place stinks of betrayal and failure," Khem whispered.

The assassin had to agree. The Dark Temple was a prison to those Sith Lords too angry to face the reality of their deaths. She and Khem paused as a possessed soldier wandered past, demanding to see his apprentice. The victims remained trapped here unless someone dragged them from the Temple's influence or forced the spirit from them. Fortunately, the spirits focused on their own memories. Slipping past them was relatively easy.

They made their way to a spiral stairway, and climbed it to a corridor cut deep into the mountain. The Sith Lord must have been special indeed to warrant a tomb like this. Dust and cobwebs covered the floor and walls on the way to the tomb. Much of the Temple had been cleared by archeologists, it's stray artifacts removed and cataloged. But the path to this tomb showed little use or attention. They reached the door to the tomb, tortured souls carved into its surface, and the assassin searched for the keyhole that would admit the glyph. The assassin examined the glyph for a moment. Titanium and iridium, the primary ingredients in phrik alloy. The key was intricate, but very strong, with little wear on the more delicate edges. Someone wanted this key to survive centuries. She found the keyhole and inserted the glyph. The ancient machinery turned more smoothly than expected, and the door slid open releasing a wave of fetid air.

She entered the tomb cautiously. She might have said she had a bad feeling, but that would be a grotesque understatement. The Dark Side and the rage of the apparition weighed on her until she felt buried in sand. She approached the dias before the sarcophagus, scanning the room for the ghost. Khem followed with his same stoicism, as if impending death did not deserve his attention. As she stepped onto the dias, the apparition appeared. With a wave of his hand, he slammed her to the stone floor. She struck back with lightning, but he ignored it. He choked her until he had her full attention.

"I have been waiting for you," he said. "I felt your movements in the Force, and they stirred me from my nightmare. I am still too weak to leave, but I knew if I made myself enough of a nuisance, you would eventually come. And here you are, blood of my blood."

"Blood of my blood?" the assassin said with a cough. "You're not Twi'lek."

He continued, "Has our family fallen so far that the daughter of my daughters does not know the name of Kallig, the name so long revered in the annals of the Sith? You are my descendant-by how many generations, I do not know-but know this: Your strength in the Force has awakened me from my stupor."

"You're not Twi'lek," she repeated. "Even if you chopped off the lekku, you couldn't get a Twi'lek head in that helmet."

"Do not mock me, child. You do not even begin to understand who you are dealing with." He paced in impatience. "I sensed one of my blood rise to power. When you freed the artifact on Korriban, I knew it must be you. Only my descendents could obtain it. Only they knew the secret."

Oh. "Of course, my lord."

"I knew your strength would return our family to glory," Kallig said.

"How did we fall so low, my lord?" she asked.

"I was once one of the greatest Lords of the Sith. If I'd been wiser, I could have secured my family's greatness. But I let down my guard and was betrayed by a man called Tulak Hord, whom I trusted as a friend."

Khem growled but did not speak.

Kallig said, "In restoring our bloodline to glory, you must not make the same mistake. Treachery is the Sith's endless game-you must win it. Beware your master, beware your apprentice. Never be taken by surprise. Do these things, and you will be unstoppable."

"I will, my lord," she told him. "But, for now, I must have your artifact."

"Don't speak of it," Kallig said. "Wretched thing. Its master murdered me and laid me to rest in this catacomb."

"And yet you speak as if alive," Khem said. "I would serve my master well to correct that."

"Your master is dead, beast," the apparition said. "You serve the child of Kallig now. Flesh of my flesh, you should teach your servant to obey."

"I will deal with him as I see fit," the assassin said.

"I only caution you not to take obedience for granted," Kallig told her. "Take the artifact, but be careful-I know not what it does. Only that betrayal follows it everywhere."

The assassin nodded, and recovered the artifact from the tomb.

"Don't worry," she said. "I'll be careful."

"I hunger for the day when our power will be restored," he said and began to fade from view. "We will meet again."

She turned the artifact in her hands, its design similar to a holocron but even more complex.

"Have you seen this before?" she asked Khem.

"My master had it," Khem said. "And others like it. He hated them, and used them to conquer Dromund Kaas."

"Let's not mention that part to Darth Zash," she said.

"My master would be pleased with you, little Sith."

"Wonderful," she said as they departed the tomb.

Betrayal follows it everywhere, she thought, and inconsistency. Tulak Hord betrayed and murdered Kallig then buried him in a place of honor with an artifact of immense power. And let Kallig make a map to it and hide the map on Korriban, all for Kallig's descendants. The Force may not have coincidences, but it certainly has mysteries.

* * *

"What did he do to you?" the agent asked Kaliyo, standing over her hospital bed.

"Lots of good stuff," Kaliyo replied.

"Why are you in the hospital?"

Kaliyo shrugged. "The stims, like last time. But I think the lightning made it worse."

"Lightning?" the agent growled.

"Just his fingertips," Kaliyo said.

"Where?"

Kaliyo smiled. "Everywhere."

"Show me," the agent said.

Kaliyo rolled her eyes and slid out of the bed. She dropped her gown as if nudity in front of the agent, and the two orderlies in the room, meant nothing. She raised her arms and turned around slowly, giving the agent a clear view. Kaliyo was tall, thin, and firm, with long legs and small breasts. She had the type of body that normally sold clothes in holovids, if not for the scars and tattoos crisscrossing her skin. The scars came from knife wounds, blaster marks, and even whip marks on her back, but no Force lightning.

"If you like what you see," Kaliyo said, "Grab that waiter, and we'll party."

"No thank you," the agent said. "Put your gown on."

Kaliyo saw the two orderlies watching her, winked at them, and put the gown back on.

"I thought this guy was important," Kaliyo said.

"He's still Sith," the agent replied. She looked at the orderlies. "Some privacy, please." She waited until they left. "Did he say or do anything that made you nervous?"

Kaliyo shrugged. "That girl you've been training. He said her name in bed. Tell anyone, and I'll kill you."

"Not a word," the agent replied. "That was all?"

"Yes," Kaliyo said. "Other than that, he was a decent fuck. The stims put me here like last time. If it had been anything worse, we would have both been in the hospital."

The agent smiled. "You're quite right. I hadn't thought of that. Well, get dressed. We're needed at Intelligence."

* * *

"Watcher Three, I need that linkup to the Dominator," Keeper said, the distaste clear on his face. "If Lord Jadus wishes to observe, we must accommodate him."

"Establishing hololink, sir," Watcher Three replied. "Dataflow is synchronized."

"Glad you found the time to pay us a visit, agent," Keeper said, just noticing her. "Take your place-the briefing starts now."

"Hey," Kaliyo said. "I was in the hospital."

"For sex," Watcher Two said. "That hardly counts."

"She's right," the agent said to Kaliyo. "But we weren't told this was urgent."

"Sorry, agent," Watcher Two said. "It's been hectic."

The hologram of the Dark Lord sparked into view, immediately dominating the room.

"I am. Proceed, Keeper."

"Very well," Keeper began. "You all know we've been attempting to determine the dissidents' plan of attack. Thanks to recent operations, we have the information we need. Unfortunately, the news is worse than we expected. A major strike is imminent. The dissidents are targeting the ancient power conduits that run beneath the capital."

Watcher Two added, "Their intention is to overload the power grid, causing a cascade failure that would detonate the power relay stations. The resulting explosions would kill hundreds of people, and the blackout would leave us vulnerable to further attacks."

Why was this urgent? the agent thought. Why did Jadus want to observe? How did a pathetic group of slaves turn into a threat to the entire city?

"Sir," Watcher three said. "Aren't all access points to the power grid under military control?"

"All but one," Keeper said. "The terrorists intend to access the power conduits through the Dark Temple. It rests directly above a key power junction. If the dissidents can push past the, ah, phenomena, they can access the grid. These dissidents have been planning-they have supplies, maps and weapons, and they're not counting on making it out alive. This is a suicide run."

"Phenomena?" Kaliyo whispered.

"Later," the agent whispered back.

Keeper continued, "We have security footage of dissidents heading toward the Dark Temple. A full squad of operatives will pursue-"

"No," Jadus said.

"My lord?" Keeper asked.

"There will be no squad," Jadus said. "The Dark Temple is sacred ground and will not be unduly disturbed. My agent will go alone."

Your agent? she thought. "Is this wise?"

She saw a hint of a smile from Watcher Two.

"My lord," Keeper said. "I strongly urge you to reconsider. If the dissidents succeed-"

Jadus shook his head. "The spirits of the temple must not be disturbed- not by terrorists and not by Imperial Intelligence. One agent will suffice. My role here is finished. Do as I will, Keeper." The transmission ended.

"Very well," Keeper said. "You will go to the Dark Temple. Stop the radicals from reaching the conduits and detonating their charges."

"Yes, sir," the agent said. "I want to assure you, I never volunteered to be 'his' agent."

"I understand," Keeper said. "As you might have noticed, Lord Jadus rarely 'asks' for something."

Watcher Two said, "We'll monitor you as long as we can, but the temple blocks most transmissions. So just, ah- good luck, agent."

The agent smiled. "If I survive, you're buying the drinks."

"It's a deal," Watcher Two said.

Kaliyo looked her up and down. "Good call. She might be worth it."

They looked at her.

"What?" Kaliyo said. "I'd have you screaming and begging for more."

Watcher Two rolled her eyes. "Whatever gets you through the mission, Kaliyo."

* * *

"Fantastic, apprentice," Darth Zash said. "You're just in time for my surprise. Since you left for the Dark Temple, I've been reading and reading and reading. Skotia's chambers are a treasure trove of research. Who would've thought a man like that had such a curious intellect? It almost makes me regret that we had to kill him. But I digress- I trust you were successful in the Dark Temple?"

"Did you expect otherwise?" the assassin asked, handing the artifact to her master.

"Of course not," Zash replied, her eyes gleaming as she examined the ancient relic. "Tell me, how did you manage to pacify the apparition?"

The assassin shrugged. "He believed he was my ancestor."

"Believed?"

"He wasn't Twi'lek," the assassin said. "He sensed when I opened the pyramid on Korriban, and believed only his descendant could manage it. I think he had an important task, something other than the artifact, and to hold onto his message, he had to sacrifice his lucidity."

"Whatever was his task?" Zash said.

"I don't know," the assassin said. "But he said we'd meet again."

Zash smiled. "I can't wait-"

A vision struck both of them, its intensity sending Zash against her desk and the assassin against the wall. They recovered and looked at each other.

"A Republic attack?" the assassin ventured.

Zash shook her head. "They're better strategists than that." She peered into the vision, searching for answers.

"But... stay in the Sith Tower," the assassin said. "For now."

"Yes," Zash agreed. "Stay here."

"You mentioned a surprise," the assassin said, sitting down. Khem scowled at her weakness but said nothing.

"Ah, yes!" Zash said. "I've requested a ship for you. This artifact is one of five that together describe a peculiar ritual used by the great Tulak Hord when he conquered the Dromund system. The other artifacts are scattered across the galaxy; some hidden by Tulak Hord himself, and some wrenched from his hands by betrayers. If you're going to find these artifacts, you'll need a ship and so I have ordered you one. It will be ready soon." She held up the artifact and examined it again. "First, I must test this to verify its authenticity. I trust you apprentice; I do not trust a half mad apparition. When I am done, you will repeat the tests, so I can gauge your skills. But, I have little doubt."

"And the vision?" the assassin said.

"The Dark Council has three strong precognitives. I'm sure they're handling it."

After they left Zash's office, Khem said, "She will never command the power of Tulak Hord."

He sounded very certain.

"Tell me, why did he hate them?" she asked.

"Hope you never learn, little Sith."

* * *

Kaliyo fired a tight spray from behind a barricade, taking down another opponent. The agent fired more selectively, target, kill, target. They cleared one group of enemies and started on the next.

"Is it just me, or are these guys really weak?" Kaliyo asked.

"It's not just you," the agent replied. They were engineers or former slaves. They weren't a threat. Maybe the dissidents didn't want to lose their best on a suicide mission.

Kaliyo fired on the next group, careful not to hit the charges. The agent targeted the lead engineer and killed him before he could finish his work. The two moved to another barricade and focused on the next group. Another rookie mistake. They engineers should be on the charges, and the defenders should be at the barricades watching the entrance. The agent wondered how this team made it into the Temple in the first place.

Kaliyo groaned suddenly and ducked down behind her barricade.

"Were you hit?" the agent asked.

"Not exactly," she said. "I had a sudden urge to engage in elaborate Sith politics. And spank my lieutenant for disappointing me. It's gone now. The politics part, anyway." She started firing again. "Why hasn't it gotten to you yet?"

"More training," the agent replied. "And some people have a higher resistance."

Kaliyo nodded. "If I start talking about joining a council of any kind, you have my permission to knock me out."

"Understood," the agent said.

They worked through the terrorists group by group and disarmed each of the charges. They cleared both with barely any effort.

"You weren't kidding," Kaliyo said, as the agent rapidly disarmed the last charge. "You _do_ know weapons."

"Of course," the agent said. "It's why they recruited me. A weapon designer is a valuable asset in the field."

They reached the primary conduit node and tested the connection for interruptions. Someone groaned nearby, and they spun toward the noise. A terrorist leaned against some crates, wounded but not by them. He tossed his weapon away, and put up his hands.

"You're with the military, aren't you?" he said. "I can't believe you actually followed us in here. None of us are going to make it back out- you know that, right?"

"You should've known you couldn't pull this off," the agent said. "What did you mean to accomplish?"

"To show the Empire what it means to fight for freedom- and we still will." He winced suddenly and clutched his side. "You can shoot me now. You can save the power grid, preserve the Imperial lifestyle for a little longer. But-"

"Yes, whatever," the agent said. "Listen- it doesn't have to happen like this."

"Yes. It does," he said. "I saw what happened to my friends. I took comfort in the fact that I'd die when-"

"I don't care," she said. Fucking zealots. "Take this medpac. Patch yourself up and get out of here. And remember who saved your life."

"I'll remember," he said, clutching the medpac. "I won't side with you, but I can show my gratitude."

"Yes. Just go."

Kaliyo watched him leave then looked at the agent. "Are you sure you're not affected?"

"None of this made sense," the agent said. "We might need another witness someday." She finished checking the conduit node. "That's it. Let's go."

* * *

"I don't care about the radiation damage, damn it!" Keeper yelled. "Get me security footage, communication logs, something we can use."

"All military channels are reporting in," Watcher Two said. "The Dominator has been completely destroyed."

"Sir?" the agent said. "What's the situation?"

Watcher Two said, "It's good to see you back, agent, but there was a secondary target. Apparently-"

"Watcher Two," Keeper said. "I still need confirmation. And, agent, get ready to move. We need everyone operational."

"Sorry, sir," Watcher Two said, more sharply than she needed to. "But there were over three thousand people on that ship. Half of them civilians-"

"I'm aware of that," Keeper said like a seasoned general. "Do your job, Watcher Two. Run the numbers."

Watcher Two nodded, her hands dancing across the console. She entered the commands easily enough, but her arms were locked tight from the elbows up to hold in the shaking. The agent moved toward her station.

Watcher Three said, "Lockdown procedures are in place- all traffic has been grounded."

"Initial analysis is done," Watcher Two said. "Cross-checking with the droids." She took a deep breath. "Nothing could have survived that explosion. All sources confirm: Casualties are one hundred percent."

The agent reached her station and whispered, "Focus."

"I just calculated the likely circumstances of each passenger's death," Watcher Two whispered back. "Don't tell me to-. Sorry."

"Agent!" Keeper called out. "I know you're just back from a mission, but your recovery will have to wait. I need you in the field."

A lot of shouting, a mouse droid, and a cargo port later, and most of the fires had been put out.

"We've made mistakes today," Keeper said to the room. "We underestimated the dissidents and their leader. But all of you performed above and beyond expectations when called upon. I am proud of each one of you. But now, we have a new job." He turned to the agent. "You are going to head our operation to dismantle the Eagle's network. You will locate and eliminate his terror cells through infiltration, manipulation and assassination. I am assigning you a rank and designation that suits your new position. You will now answer to Cipher Nine."

"Of course, sir," she said.

Keeper continued, "With the rank comes certain privileges-including a degree of operational independence. You may recruit your own operatives, and you will be outfitted with a starship. With the lockdown in place, you won't be leaving for a few days. You may have the time off. Use it well. You won't get it very often. Watcher Two, you will remain Cipher Nine's liaison to base."

"Yes, sir," Watcher Two replied.

"Begin analyzing all reports on recent dissident activity. I want Cipher Nine fully briefed before she departs."

"Understood, sir," Watcher Two said.

"And, everyone," Keeper said. "Be careful of these people. Destroying the Dominator was no mean feat. We underestimated them once. We cannot do that again. All right, get to work."

* * *

"You didn't have to," Cipher Nine said to Watcher Two, trying to be quiet but audible over the noise in the bar.

"I promised you a drink," Watcher Two said. "You certainly earned it."

Kaliyo threw back a shot and called for another.

"So did she, technically," Watcher Two said.

The agent leaned close to the Watcher's ear. "Tell something. Who wanted that conduit node in the Dark Temple in the first place?"

Watcher Two whispered back, "In Imperial Intelligence, it pays to be clever. It does not pay to appear clever."

"Keeper said killing Jadus was unthinkable."

"Of course," Watcher Two said. "He had a lot of allies in Imperial Intelligence."

The agent nodded. "I wasn't one of them."

"Are you talking shop?" Kaliyo asked.

"Just asking about the mission," the agent said.

"You two need to go off the clock," Kaliyo said. "What about you, Watcher? Are you ready to party?"

She looked around the bar. "I'm... considering it."

"Cool," Kaliyo said. She pulled the Watcher in and kissed her deeply while the Watcher froze in shock. "I love melting an ice queen. Come on, I know where we can find some bounty hunters that are worth the effort."

"Uh, bounty hunters?" Watcher Two said, still recovering from the kiss. "Those crude, foul, rough... I get the cute one."

"Honey, you don't want the cute one," Kaliyo said. "You want the one with the most scars. It means he knows how to get the job done."

"Interesting theory," the Watcher said. "Will you be joining us, Cipher?"

"I have a prior engagement," she replied.

Kaliyo threw back another shot. "Scary Sith bitch again?"

Watcher Two stared at Kaliyo. "Do you call her that to her face?"

"Fuck no," Kaliyo said. "Most Sith Lords are run of the mill assholes. That bitch is truly scary."

"Why do you help her?" Watcher Two asked the agent.

"There are far worse ways of gaining the favor of a Sith Lord," the agent said.

Watcher Two nodded.

"And, Kaliyo," the agent said. "Try to stay out of the hospital."

"Buzzkill. Let's go, Watcher. I know some guys who can crack that ice wide open."

* * *

"What did your handler say?" the assassin asked.

"I'm not to watch Mau'te again," the agent replied. "Someone else will be assigned to it."

The assassin shook her head. "It's slipping out."

"That was to be expected," the agent said. "You were not mentioned."

"There's that, anyway."

"Watcher Two asked about you," the agent continued. "I gave her the cover story. She seemed satisfied with it."

"Good enough," the assassin said. "Your handler was right. That story doesn't justify us meeting too much after this. How ready is Vette?"

"As ready as I can make her," the agent said. "Jadus did something odd. Dissidents infiltrated the Dark Temple to plant bombs on a power conduit. Instead of a team, Jadus demanded that Kaliyo and I deal with them alone."

"Did he say why?"

The agent nodded. "He said the Temple was sacred-"

"Sacred?" the assassin said. "Jadus never gave two shits about the Temple. He always said the power of the ancient Sith Lords was to be admired, not their decaying monuments." She thought for a moment and said, "How did the Temple affect you?"

"Not much," the agent said.

"That's it then," the assassin said. "That mental assault was your first test. The Temple was the second. You passed, and he could proceed."

"You don't think he's dead," the agent said.

"Officially, the Empire mourns," the assassin said. "Unofficially, I suspect the Dark Council is watching and preparing."

"Then, so will I," the agent said. "Any messages?"

"Still promising. I've been given a mission too important to refuse. I will watch as best I can. That's all." She indulged in a smile. "For now, it's up to Vette. Anything else?"

"Yes," the agent said. "I've seen a Zabrak Sith Lord watching Vette. She's starting to make me nervous."

"Thank you. I'll deal with it."

"Good luck," the agent said.

"There's no such thing as 'luck'," the assassin said.

The agent sighed and left.

* * *

Vette groaned and massaged her shoulder. Our last session, her instructor had told her. So, she made it the best she could. Don't stop training, don't let your guard down, and watch anyone with a lightsaber. She hated to admit it, but the training had helped. And the regular food. And him. She really hated to admit that, but he was there for her sometimes, lightsaber and all. He'd get bored of her and throw her away eventually. That's what they did. That's okay. She got the chance to see Mako again. That was worth a lot. She'd had much worse prison stays.

Lord Hexid watched the Twi'lek girl from across the street. She really was very pretty. Such a shame. The things I could have done. But, Lord Mau'te is far more valuable than you know. Than they know. Yet, anyway. Very sorry, my dear.

Vette turned a corner, and Hexid hurried to catch up. As she passed an ally, she sensed the attack and spun away from it. Her opponent was obviously skilled in stealth, and had obscured Hexid's battle awareness. Her reaction saved her from a lethal strike, but she still caught the lightsaber on her leg. She ignited her saber, blocking the next attack, as her opponent pressed her advantage. The enemy, a slight Twi'lek woman with impressive speed, struck at her with precise, efficient moves. She was a bit younger than Hexid, probably still an apprentice, but attacked with dispassionate confidence, as if combat were surgery. A flurry of attacks from Hexid and a spray of Force lightning did nothing to confuse her or slow her down. Hexid had only one option left. She deactivated her saber, fell back, and threw up her arms.

"I surrender," she said.

The Twi'lek Sith paused but did not drop her guard. "Surrender?"

"Yes," Hexid said. "This is about Lord Mau'te, isn't it? You're that apprentice of Lord Zash, aren't you? I recognize the combat style."

"Darth Zash. She was promoted."

"Quite right," Hexid said. "Terribly sorry. I heard a rumor you were interested in Lord Mau'te. Not sure why you're protecting a rival though."

"That's not what she is," the assassin said.

"Well, whatever," Hexid said. "He's all yours."

"Just like that?"

"Yes, of course," Hexid said. "He is a very handsome man, and a very good fuck, but not worth dying over. An alliance with him might be nice, but there are other ways to make that happen."

"Very well," the assassin said. "Just to be clear. If you go after Vette-"

"You'll kill me," Hexid said.

The assassin shook her head, and a large, scary something stepped out of the shadows.

"He'll eat you."

"Not in the good way, I expect," Hexid said, looking at Khem cautiously. "Speaking of, a good fight always gets me excited. I'd love to go down on you. To the victor the rewards, and all that."

"Go to the mercenaries tower. Find a Rattataki woman named Kaliyo Djannis. Tell her I sent you. You won't be disappointed."

"Very good," Hexid said, and stood up with a wince. "Oh, shit, that's right." She looked at her leg. "I'm going to steal that move, you know. Good day." She limped away.

"You should have let me eat her," Khem said.

"I might need her one day," the assassin said. "Besides, I thought you had your fill at the Temple."

"Dry and tasteless," Khem said. "I hunger for something fresh."

* * *

Back in her apartment, the assassin stared at her computer screen, but her mind wasn't on it. Would Hexid keep her word? the assassin thought. Probably. Vette was an easy target. Another Sith Lord required careful evaluation as a potential enemy. Or ally. She struck from out of nowhere, the hunter hunted. Hexid would be impressed by that. More than that. She saw Vette as something else now. She wouldn't attack again until she knew Vette's real value. The assassin sighed and returned to her scans of the markings in Kallig's tomb. They didn't match the artifact at all. Kallig's resembled some ancient Zabrak texts. The artifact was much-

Someone knocked at her door. Khem didn't stir from his meditation, so probably not a threat. At the door, she found a rather handsome human Imperial Lieutenant.

"Good evening, my Lord," he said. "Darth Zash sent me."

"Am I needed?"

"No, my Lord. I am a gift."

"Are you?" the assassin asked.

"Indeed. Darth Zash believes you need to relax. You told her you wanted no emotional commitments, and I am engaged."

"Your fiance' doesn't mind?"

"She understands," the lieutenant said. "It is the Empire after all. And it has helped my career quite a bit. I have also been told I have excellent technique and am a comfortable size."

"Lovely," the assassin said. "You might have noticed I don't have Darth Zash's pendulous breasts."

"Neither does my fiance'," he said. "It hasn't bothered me."

"Well," the assassin said, opening the door. "You're very skilled with your tongue. Let's start there."


	25. The Smuggler 2

"Corso," Xaldiba said. "Welcome to the _Secret Visitor_."

"Captain, that name is all you." Corso looked over the Captain's ship, his first real look since Ord Mantell. Mismatched panels, scrapes, dents, blaster marks, it matched the Captain in everything but the color. They climbed up the ramp into the ship, but the Captain stopped short in front of a protocol droid.

"Greetings, master," the droid said. "I am Seetoo Enntoo, steward of this vessel. It is my extreme good fortune to serve you."

Xaldiba replied, "You were bought by a thieving, gutless son of a kath hound- but this is my ship. You can go, or you can be scrap."

A voice said, "I'm guessing my life just got complicated."

Xaldiba spun toward the voice and drew his blaster. "Same goes for you; get off my ship or die."

"Your ship?" The speaker was an attractive, well-dressed woman that looked far too good for the likes of Skavak.

Xaldiba slapped his hand on a control panel and said, "Identify."

The panel scanned his hand, and the ship's computer replied, "Identity confirmed. Welcome aboard, Captain Onoka."

The woman smiled. "You just answered a lot of questions, Captain. Put down the blaster and let's talk." She waited, but the blaster didn't drop. She shrugged and said, "My name's Risha. I've been traveling with Skavak as part of a business arrangement. I needed a ship that could make a very difficult jump to the far Outer Rim. Skavak said he had one, but he never treated the ship the way the original owner did."

"What did he do to my ship?" Xal asked.

"He didn't have it that long," Risha said. "But he was never interested in routine maintenance. I never cared for Skavak. I needed the ship. Skavak was going to deliver my cargo, but he's proving unreliable. I think you might be a much better partner."

"Let's hear your offer, and we'll see."

"My offer is simple," she said. "I make you filthy rich."

"You have my attention," Xal said.

Risha smiled again. "The items in the cargo hold are pieces to a key- a key that unlocks the lost treasure of a very rich dead man named Nok Drayen."

Xal laughed. "What next, Revan's lost tomb?"

"Who's Nok Drayen?" Corso asked.

"Please tell me you're joking," Risha said. "The man was a criminal legend."

"He was a gangster," Xal said to Corso. "But he died a while ago."

"Nok Drayen was the greatest gangster who ever lived," Risha said, with a hint of irritation. "He personally wiped out the Rath Cartel and the Vandelhelm Combine during the Syndicate Wars. When he died ten years ago, Nok had more wealth than some Outer Rim worlds. Even the Hutts were jealous."

"You sound a little jealous yourself," Xal said.

Risha sighed. "He was ruthless, bloodthirsty and vindictive. The only criminals who didn't fear him were the dead ones."

"I knew all that," Xal said. "Get to the part about my ship."

Risha said, "Nok hid his fortune right before he died. For ten years, treasure hunters across the galaxy have searched for it in vain- until now. I've figured out how to get the lost riches of Nok Drayen."

"How did you do that?" Xal asked.

"I know better than to just give up my secrets, Captain," Risha said. "Whoever gets Nok's riches will become an underworld legend. Help me deliver these things in your cargo hold, and Nok Drayen's wealth will be all yours."

Xaldiba thought for a while then lowered his blaster. "What are you getting out of this?"

"I'm after something personal," she said. "The money doesn't mean anything to me, Captain. I'm the only one who can help you trade those items to get Nok Drayen's treasure, but I won't tell you everything up front. To get the riches, you trust me the same way I trust you: one step at a time. Deal?"

"Maybe," Xal said. "First step, I want to see what you did to my ship. I know a 'private' spaceport. It'll be tough for Skavak to find, at least before we're done."

"Second step, captain," Risha said. "You haven't introduced yourselves."

"Xaldiba Onoka. And Corso Riggs, my first mate."

Risha smiled once more. "Looking forward to working with you, Captain."

* * *

"Not to worry," Xal said, maneuvering his ship into a burned out wreck of a building. "Coruscant has lots of places like this. Skavak can't possibly know which one I picked."

The interior of the building was buttressed and cleaned. Several floors had been removed but disguised to appear intact. As soon as the ship touched down, Ugnaughts scurried from a far room, maintenance tools and droids in tow. Xal waved to the Ugnaughts and exited the ship.

"Gansar, buddy," Xal said.

"Captain Xaldiba," the lead Ugnaught said. "I see you have the _Secret_ back. Is the Skavak man gone?"

"Not yet," Xal said. "I doubt he knows about you, but keep an eye out."

"Very good," Gansar said. "And I see new man and beautiful lady."

"Corso, first mate, a man I can trust, and Risha-"

"Strictly business," Risha said.

"Must be very special for 'strictly business'," Gansar said. "How do we help the Captain today?"

"Fuel and routine checkup," Xal said. "And I'll be tuning the engines."

Gansar nodded and began issuing commands to the other Ugnaughts.

"Let's start on those engines," Xal said, returning to the ship.

"I was taking care of the engines," Risha said.

"No you weren't," Xal said. "The fuel ratio was off. I could tell by the way she handled."

Corso followed them into the ship and back toward the engine room. He stopped at the door, looked around at the corridor, and looked into the engine room again. The _Secret_ had the most pristine engine room Corso had ever seen. Every surface was spotless, every tool in its place.

"Never been in the engine room, Mister Riggs?" Risha asked.

"Never been aboard the ship, ma'am," Corso replied.

"And you're the first mate?" she said.

"He proved I can trust him," Xal said without looking up from the engine. "Look at this." He pointed out a section of the fuel system. "I replaced the standard intermix with a Rendili 55K130. It's more efficient and doesn't need the fuel ratio that high."

"And that fit?" Risha said.

"With the right adapter, yes. Corso, go down the corridor until you see a panel with a corner bent out. Rap on the corner, and the panel will pop off. I need you to make an adjustment."

Corso found the panel and popped it off. The components behind it were as clean as the engine room. The panel itself was warped and rusty, with the paint scratched in several places.

"Got it, Captain," he called out, and Xal started shouting commands.

After two hours, Xal said to Risha, "I fixed most of what you did."

She rolled her eyes.

"Yeah," Xal said. "Get to the cockpit, and fire up the engines to two percent. You're going to learn what this ship is supposed to sound like."

Corso followed her to the cockpit.

"Ma'am, was the ship like this when you came on board?" he asked.

Risha smiled. "Ever get the feeling the Captain is hiding a few layers?" She flipped controls with an experienced hand. The engines started with a low steady hum, much smoother than they had been on the short flight here. Great, now she'd have to agree with him. Something in the hangar caught her eye, and she exhaled sharply. "Shit! Captain, who did you piss off?" she yelled.

"What race is she?" Xaldiba yelled back.

Risha shook her head. "We've got Jedi coming in!"

Corso checked out the incoming figures. "It's all right, Captain. It's Master Agenord and Kira. That's the Captain's cousin."

She stared at Corso in shock then ran after Xal.

"Your cousin is a Jedi?!"

"Yeah," he said. "My cousin is a Jedi."

"You didn't think to tell me that?"

"I've known you three hours, and you were working with someone who wanted to kill me."

"Still," Risha said. "Considering your profession, you might want to lead with that. Why is he here?"

"That's not for you to know yet," Xal told her. He headed toward the entrance.

A smuggler with a Jedi cousin? she thought. What the fuck? She ran after Xal, caught sight of Agenord, and exhaled again. Well, some Jedi were more acceptable than others. The woman at his side was less acceptable. She had long legs and a nice chest, but Risha had more and a more womanly shape. She had the fiery redhead thing, but Risha had sultry. Still, definite competition.

"Xal," Agenord said. "I have your package and a gift."

"Gift?" Xal said.

Agenord held up a data card for a holoemitter.

"Captain," Risha said. "You haven't introduced me to your cousin yet."

Xal sighed. "Agenord, Kira. Risha."

"Business associate," Risha said with a smile. "Strictly business, I assure you."

Kira said, "Please don't feed the ego."

Risha smiled at Kira. "Honey, it's not if you feed the ego; it's when and how."

"What's this?" Xal asked, holding up the card.

"After the Temple-" Agenord began.

"You were part of the assault on the Temple?" Risha asked.

"Yeah," Xal said. "He led the assault."

Oh. Damn.

Agenord said, "I asked Master Satele to let me shape a crystal for Cyr'rnin's rifle."

"Miss Cyr'rnin?" Corso said, walking in. "Oh, just talking about her."

"Teeseven recorded it for you," Agenord finished.

Xal loaded the card into the ship's emitter. It showed a very sturdy looking Twi'lek woman leaning over a rifle.

Risha said, "Your sister is Republic military?"

"Yes," Xal said. "Special forces. Havoc Squad."

"I'm betting you're the odd one in the family," she said.

"One of them, yes," Xal told her.

Cyr'rnin lowered a crystal into the emitter chamber of her rifle, slowly to stop her hands from shaking.

"What color is the crystal?" Corso asked.

"Blue," Xal said. "It's blue."

Cyr'rnin aimed the rifle down a practice range and fired. A bright bolt left the blaster rifle, and Cyr'rnin stopped, gasping for breath. She looked back, probably at Agenord, obviously trying to hold in her emotions. She fired again, and couldn't hold it in anymore. She turned back, and her face broke into a smile. Xal hit the holoemitter fast, freezing the playback. He zoomed in on his sister's face.

"Sorry," he said to the room. "It's been a while since I've seen that."

"Miss Cyr'rnin sure is pretty, Captain," Corso said.

Pretty? Risha thought. Half her face had been ripped off and sewn back on. Even so, Corso sounded like he meant it.

Xal started the playback again.

"Oh, you got a hug," he said. "Now I hate you."

"If you'd waited, you could have been there," Agenord told him.

"She wouldn't have smiled to spite me."

"You might be right," Agenord said.

Xal said, "This is going to Mom and Dad. I've got something for you too, if you want it." He took out a data card. "I had to go to a Mandalorian for it. It is this year's Grand Melee."

"Grand what?" Agenord said.

Kira said, "A contest for bounty hunters to enter the Great Hunt."

Agenord looked at her.

"What? I've got a life outside of you."

"Why do I want it?" Agenord said, taking the card.

"Ter'viro wins," Xal said.

Kira and Risha looked at him.

"My brother," he said.

"Is... a bounty hunter?" Risha said.

Xal shrugged. "I've got an interesting family."

Agenord turned the card in his hand and smiled. "You're right. I do want it. Thank you for your help, Xal. Corso. Miss Risha."

"Master Agenord," she said. "You've given me a new perspective on Jedi."

Kira groaned.

After they left, Risha said, "I hope I didn't disappoint you, Captain."

"Not the first time that's happened," Xal said. "My second girlfriend told me she was going through me to get to him."

"I'm very sorry," Risha said.

"Why? She still had to go through me."

"You find the good in everything, don't you, Captain?" Risha said.

"I have been known to," he replied.

Risha sighed. "Are we ready to go?"

"I need to check the hyperdrive. Then we're ready."

* * *

An hour later, Xal declared the _Secret_ ready to fly.

"Gansar," Xal said, "Excellent work as always. Sorry about the Jedi."

"Not at all, Captain Xaldiba," Gansar said. "They were very polite, and we were ready to move anyway. We will be at Jenth-site for the next five months. You still have credit, so we are done. Take care, trustworthy man and beautiful lady."

After they were back aboard, Risha said, "I like your mechanic."

"He's a good man in difficult times," Xal said. "Now, where are we headed?"

"Taris," Risha said with a smile.

"Oh, shit," Xal said.

Risha laughed. "I said 'rich', Captain, not 'easy'."

Xal eased the _Secret_ into the Coruscant sky, slipped between two patrol routes, and headed toward the hyperspace lanes.

"Well?" he asked her.

Risha sighed. "Yes, Captain, you know your ship."

"Wait until we jump," Xal said. "You won't even feel it."

Skavak had tried to impress Risha with the ship's speed. His jumps were like hitting heavy rapids. Xal's jump was like drifting with the stream and wouldn't cost them much time.

Risha sighed and nodded. "You are definitely the better choice, Captain. That jump to the Outer Rim will be tricky. It will take-" The console beeped. "That's Skavak's signal. This should be an interesting conversation."

A seething Skavak appeared above the holoemitter.

"You're late, Skavak," Risha said. "And I just made a new friend. I think you two will loathe each other."

"Congratulations, Captain," Skavak said. "You're officially number one on my list of people to kill. When I get my hands on you, you'll wish you'd never left Ord Mantell."

"Says the man who spent all his time running from me," Xal said.

"You don't even know what you've stumbled into, Captain," Skavak snarled. "You're messing up a deal I spent months putting together."

"With a ship that was never yours," Xal said. "You could have gotten a finders fee instead of a blaster shot."

"You were a nobody smuggler with a ship he never deserved," Skavak said. "Don't know how you got away from those Imperials, but next time I'll kill you myself. Assuming Rogun the Butcher doesn't get you first. I sold all those blasters you were supposed to deliver for him on Ord Mantell. Can't imagine he'll be happy you lost them."

"I'll work something out with Rogun, don't you worry," Xal said.

"Nobody 'works things out' with Rogun the Butcher. I suggest you enjoy what's left of your life."

"That's every day for me," Xal said.

Risha said, "Are you done posturing, Skavak? The captain and I have cargo to deliver."

"Don't even think about cutting me out of this deal, Risha!" Skavak said. "You don't know what you've got. His cousin's a Jedi! Did he tell you that? I had a good laugh when I found that out."

"I've met Master Agenord," Risha said. "He's a good man. And very cute. I'm sure he could fit into places you could never get to."

"Sweetheart," Skavak said. "You two-"

Xal switched off the comm. "Sounds like he'll be easy to find. So, how are we fixed for food?"

Risha smiled. "We were about to leave for Taris. We wanted as little local food as possible. We are fully stocked and ready to go."

* * *

The next morning, Risha walked into the galley and found a Mirialan woman, wearing one of the captain's shirts and nothing else, standing at the counter eating breakfast. The woman looked up with a smile.

"Who are you?" Risha asked. "And why are you half naked?"

"I'm Kixi. I helped Xal and Corso with Skavak, and they rescued me from the Migrant Merchant's Guild. But, then I had to get off Coruscant really fast. Xal is giving me a ride. I'm thanking him by going through his computer and making sure Skavak didn't leave anything behind."

"You need to be half naked for that?" Risha asked.

"I'm also thanking him with sex," Kixi said. "Mostly the computer thing. Well, like sixty-forty."

"Uh, hi, Miss Kixi," Corso said from the door.

"Hi, Corso," Kixi said, started to wave, then stopped and pushed the shirt down.

"When did you get on board?" he asked.

"Xal brought me in through one of his special doors," Kixi replied.

"Special doors?" Corso said.

"Wouldn't be much of a smuggling ship if I didn't have those," Xal said. "Kixi, looking good. Can I get my shirt back?"

"Stop it," she said. "You're terrible."

"Not what you said last night."

"I have to go get dressed," Kixi said, slipping past him.

Risha said, "Is this going to happen a lot, Captain?"

"Pretty girls showing up?" Xal said. "On occasion."

Corso coughed.

"Could you keep her out of my cargo bay?" Risha said.

" _My_ cargo bay," Xal corrected.

" _The_ cargo bay," Risha replied.

Xal smiled. "I'll get you the spare key."

"How long is she going to be here?"

"I'm dropping her off at Brental Four," Xal said. "It's on the way. She just needed off Coruscant."

"Did she really help you two?" Risha said to Corso.

"Yes, ma'am, she did," Corso said. "Helped Master Agenord, too. Even had a Sith Lord after her."

Xal gave Corso a sour look.

"Sith Lord?" Risha said to Xal.

"Don't worry," Xal said. "Agenord killed him. We just got roped in a little."

"Like the _Esseles_ ," Corso said.

Xal held back a word.

"Huh," Risha said, looking at Xal. "Captain, I think you are the right man for this job." She took a food pack and left.

"Captain?" Corso said.

"You're a good man in a fight, Corso," Xal said. "But stay away from the negotiation table."

* * *

Sometime later, Risha found Kixi in the cargo searching behind an open panel.

"Did the captain let you in?" Risha asked.

"I sliced the door," Kixi said. "It's what I do. Don't worry. I didn't get anywhere near your stuff."

The cargo was still in the right place, and the shanjaru didn't seem skittish.

"Did you really help Master Agenord?" Risha asked.

"A little," Kixi said. "Gave him some info on a data card, but I guess it helped."

"What do you think of him?"

"He scares me," Kixi said.

"How?" Risha asked.

"That guy is overpowered like you wouldn't believe," Kixi said. "He's the kind of guy that could the galaxy, and I don't want any of that."

"Not attracted to powerful men?"

"Fuck no," Kixi said. "Too much responsibility. Everything you do affects lives." She turned around. "He just saved, like, a hundred thousand people or something. Just another day's work." She shook her head. "I like the quiet guys. Stay out of the headlines. Have a little fun along the way."

"Like the captain?"

"You got it," Kixi said and turned back to the panel. "He's not going to settle down, but he knows how to have fun, and he can be a decent guy. He did a lot more than he needed to to help me. All he wants in return is some computer work and a few blowjobs." She pulled a circuit card from the panel. "Slicing node." She checked the corridor then leaned close to Risha and whispered, "Give him a go. Doesn't stop 'til the job is done." She winked at Risha and left.

* * *

"Kixi," Xal said. "Welcome to Brentaal Four."

"It's nice," she said. "And not trying to kill me. Well, I got all of Skavak's slicing nodes and restored your system. So, thank you for the ride. And the orgasms. Corso, Risha, take care of him."

"Trying to, ma'am," Corso said.

Kixi smiled at him and walked away.

Xal looked at Risha.

Risha sighed. "Fine. She wasn't that bad. Can we go?"

"We can go," Xal said.

You've got a few layers, Captain, Risha thought. I wonder which one matters the most.


End file.
